Over 20 states sue Biden Admin for 'destroying women's sports' with Title IX changes

More than 20 states have filed lawsuits against the Biden administration over its new Title IX rules that would allow men into women’s bathrooms in colleges and universities.

The states suing over the new regulations include Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia.

Title IX forbids “discrimination based on sex in education programs and activities that receive federal financial assistance.” The Biden administration’s new Title IX rules, which were announced in April, include new protections for sexual orientation and “gender identity.” 

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Under the expanded rules, Title IX will now protect against discrimination based on sexual orientation or “gender identity.” Many argue that this reinterpretation will infringe upon state sovereignty, particularly in matters such as restroom and locker room usage policies. Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti stated: “The U.S. Department of Education has no authority to let boys into girls’ locker rooms.”

“The interpretation of the Biden administration is completely inconsistent with the statute and the way it’s been interpreted for decades,” said Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin.

Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody told The News Service of Florida that “[w]e will fight very strongly against this rule, just to ensure this does what Congress intended it (the law) to do, and that is provide opportunities to everyone and especially protect the security and fairness for our biological females.”

“Florida is suing the Biden Administration over its unlawful Title IX changes,” Florida Governor Ron DeSantis posted to X. “Biden is abusing his constitutional authority to push an ideological agenda that harms women and girls and conflicts with the truth. We will not comply, and we will fight back against Biden’s harmful agenda.”

Of particular concern is the impact of “transgender” athletes on women. The absence of clear directives in the current regulations leaves room for interpretation. Critics state that “transgender” women competing in women’s sports will upend the level playing field that Title IX sought to establish.

Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr, for example, concurred with DeSantis and Moody’s criticisms of the Title IX changes, and addressed concerns that the Biden administration’s decision will lead to further erosion of protections for women in sports. 

“The Biden administration is destroying women’s sports by gutting commonsense provisions that protect female athletes and demanding that biological males be allowed to compete against females,” Carr said. “Today we have taken action to defend women’s rights to fair competition, and we will keep fighting until we end this absurdity once and for all.”

Claire Natoli, a women’s lacrosse player at the University of South Florida and a Campus Reform correspondent, told Campus Reform: “There are already very limited opportunities for female athletes to participate and play sports. There is no room in women’s sports for biological men to come in and take those very precious opportunities away from us.”

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“Now with the Biden administration gutting the meaning of what it means to be a woman this qualifies biological men to compete in our sports and will have detrimental impacts across women’s sports. Opportunities will die out for women, our safety will be compromised, and the overall message that will be sent by the Biden Administration is that no matter how hard you work, a man can always come in and take those dreams away from a woman. Gender ideology and someone’s beliefs do NOT change the physical biological advantages of men over women,” she continued.

Campus Reform has contacted the University of Florida and Florida State University for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.