Trump administration sues California over transgender athlete policies

The Justice Department is suing the state of California for allowing transgender athletes to compete in female sports

The Trump administration argues that California is in violation of Title IX

after both the state's Department of Education and its high school sports governing body refused to sign a resolution agreement on the issue

The U.S. Department of Education investigated California's policies and found the state in

violation of Title IX for allowing athletes to compete based on gender identity rather than

biological sex. Last month, a letter was sent to the California Department of Education and the

state's Interscholastic Federation, which oversees high school sports, outlining the violations and

demanding a response by July 7th. When no response was given, the Department of Justice

filed suit. The lawsuit states these discriminatory policies and practices ignore undeniable biological

differences between boys and girls in favor of an amorphous gender identity. In the words of the

governor of California, it is deeply unfair for girls to compete against boys. Governor Gavin

Newsom commented on the issue months ago, calling it deeply unfair for girls to compete against transgender athletes but also reiterating there needs to be respect for the trans community when addressing potential policy changes The debate intensified

last month after a transgender athlete won multiple titles at California's high school

girls track championship. President Trump weighed in, calling the situation not fair

and threatening to pull federal funding. Ahead of the track event, California's

Interscholastic Federation revised its rules, ensuring that biological girls who lost placement

to a transgender athlete would still be awarded. Now the Trump administration is pushing to not

only revoke funding, but to force changes to state policy. The Trump administration has pursued the

issue in other states as well, suing Maine back in April, the DOJ launching investigations into

more than two dozen states, universities, and sports bodies. And last week, the University

of Pennsylvania agreed to revoke swimming records set by transgender athlete Leah Thomas

after the Trump administration froze federal funds to the school. The money was released

following the school's agreement to ban trans athletes from competing on women's teams

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