Donald Trump’s campaign ad highlighting the contrasting stances on gender issues between him and Kamala Harris set the stage for his administration’s swift actions to protect women’s rights. Trump targeted policies like taxpayer-funded gender-transition surgeries for transgender prisoners, emphasizing his support for women and girls in sports. In response, Trump signed an executive order titled “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports,” aiming to prevent transgender athletes from competing on female teams and accessing private spaces like locker rooms. This move garnered immediate results, prompting the NCAA to revise its policy on transgender athletes, now restricting women’s sports to those assigned female at birth only.

Former collegiate swimmer Riley Gaines, a lead plaintiff in a lawsuit against the NCAA over transgender athlete participation, welcomed Trump’s intervention and the subsequent policy changes. While Trump’s executive order marks a significant step forward, ongoing efforts are needed to solidify these protections into law through congressional action. Recent court decisions overturning Biden’s Title IX rewrite further signal a shift towards safeguarding women’s rights in sports. The collective actions of female athletes speaking out against discrimination and injustice, supported by Trump’s executive order, signify a growing movement towards gender equity and fairness in sports.