The Trump administration is investigating potential civil rights violations at San Jose State University, the University of Pennsylvania, and the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association for allowing transgender athletes to compete on women’s teams. This move follows President Trump’s executive order aimed at banning transgender athletes from girls’ and women’s sports, citing concerns about equality for female students. The Education Department is proactively reviewing Title IX violations, emphasizing a shift in civil rights priorities to align with Trump’s agenda on gender identity issues.
San Jose State is under investigation for a transgender player on the women’s volleyball team, while the probe at Penn focuses on Lia Thomas, an openly transgender athlete who won a Division I title in 2022. The Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association allowed a transgender athlete to play on a girls’ high school basketball team, leading to a forfeit by an opposing team due to injuries. Advocates for transgender students criticized the executive order, arguing against the perceived threats posed by transgender students in sports and schools.
Title IX has become a contentious issue, with conflicting federal rules regarding transgender and LGBTQ+ student protections. The Trump administration is leveraging Title IX to challenge schools accommodating transgender students, with recent investigations targeting Denver public schools. Trump’s order directs federal agencies to withhold funds from programs that allegedly deny fair athletic opportunities to women and girls, with potential financial repercussions for violators pending judicial approval.
