Riley Gaines, Athletes Challenge NCAA's Transgender Policy Nationwide

The NCAA's recent update to its transgender athlete policy has ignited a fierce debate about fairness in women's sports, particularly following President Trump's executive order aimed at banning biological males from competing in women's categories. The new policy employs 'sex assigned at birth' as the eligibility criterion, leading to concerns about the potential for transgender women to compete based solely on their birth certificates, which can be amended in many states. Athletes like Riley Gaines have criticized the policy as lacking clear boundaries and protecting female athletes, stating it allows males to remain on women's teams for practice despite not competing. The XX-XY Athletics campaign features several female athletes asserting that the NCAA's approach does not ensure women's sports are exclusively for those born female. Critics argue that the policy is riddled with loopholes, and many believe the NCAA must take accountability for a more definitive stance on gender eligibility in sports. The NCAA has yet to respond to these calls for clarity or reform in its policy.