Georgia Board Votes to Ban Transgender Athletes

The Georgia State Board of Regents has unanimously voted to request a ban on transgender women participating in women's sports at public colleges and universities. This decision follows Republican Lt. Gov. Burt Jones's push for stricter policies, condemning current NCAA and National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) regulations as too lenient. The board seeks alignment with the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), which recently adopted policies restricting participation to those assigned female at birth who have not undergone hormone therapy. Currently, the NCAA's guidelines allow transgender athletes to compete after a year of testosterone suppression treatment. The move reflects broader conservative sentiments in Georgia's governance and aligns with similar actions in other states. The regents' request will impact 25 institutions, with varying memberships across NCAA, NAIA, and NJCAA.