U.S. Orders California to Bar Transgender Girls in Sports

The U.S. Department of Education, under the Trump administration, found that California violated Title IX by allowing transgender athletes to compete in girls’ and women’s sports, following investigations into the California Department of Education and the California Interscholastic Federation. Federal officials argue this policy constitutes sex-based discrimination against female athletes, while California state law, enacted in 2013, permits students to participate in sports consistent with their gender identity based on anti-discrimination principles. The federal government has given California 10 days to rescind its policy or risk losing federal education funding and facing possible legal action. The proposed resolution would require California schools to use biology-based definitions of sex and restore any lost records or awards to female athletes who competed against transgender athletes. State and CIF officials have not yet responded to the federal directive. The case highlights the broader national debate over transgender rights and women’s sports.