U.S. Education and HHS Find Minnesota Violates Title IX on Transgender Athletes

The Trump administration has determined that Minnesota violated Title IX by allowing transgender male athletes to participate in girls' sports, including softball, alpine skiing, lacrosse, track and field, and volleyball. Federal investigations by the U.S. Departments of Education and Health and Human Services found that the Minnesota Department of Education and the Minnesota State High School League's policies conflict with the administration's executive order "Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports," which aims to prevent male athletes from competing in female sports. Minnesota has been given a 10-day deadline to change its policies to comply with federal law or face enforcement actions that could threaten federal funding. Minnesota officials, including Attorney General Keith Ellison, have challenged the federal government's authority, arguing that the administration's orders violate state sovereignty and Minnesota's own laws protecting gender identity. The dispute highlights a broader conflict between federal anti-discrimination efforts under Title IX and state protections for transgender individuals. The federal government insists on enforcing Title IX compliance strictly, emphasizing fairness and safety for female athletes, while Minnesota maintains its commitment to gender identity protections under state law.