The Year of Title IX

By Sofia Pelletier

Photos courtesy of The Nation and The Hill

Title IX is a federal civil rights law prohibiting sex-based discrimination in any educational program or activity receiving federal funding. The original Title IX was in effect for 52 years before the Biden administration revised it on April 26, 2024, and went into effect on August 1, 2024. The revised Title IX protects all students and employers against sex-based harassment and discrimination.

Besides that, it allows transgender women into women’s locker rooms, bathrooms, and even on women’s sports teams.

For some individuals, this might not be an issue. However, for the athletes, it’s unfair and even unsafe. Biological males have greater lung capacity, higher bone density, and greater muscle mass. Because of this, female athletes are at risk of getting seriously injured. For example, previously talked about San José State female volleyball player Blaire Fleming. Fleming was accused of targeting her teammate, Brooke Slusser. The New York Post stated that Fleming has the ability to spike a ball at 80 mph, which is very dangerous.

American swimmer Lia Thomas, swimmer for the University of Pennsylvania, was the first openly transgender athlete to win an NCAA Division I championship, winning the women’s 500-yard freestyle event in 2022. She was then barred from competing in women’s events by World Aquatics. Another athlete is Layshia Clarendon, A guard for the Minnesota Lynx, and the first openly transgender and non-binary athlete in the WNBA.

On August 1, 2024, the revised Title IX went into place. Unlike some states, such as Indiana, Nebraska, Utah, Texas, and 26 states altogether, had filed lawsuits against the U.S. Department of Education, to fight to allow Title IX to be placed.

On January 14, 2025, the House voted on a bill that would ban transgender athletes from competing on women’s teams. The bill, known as the “Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act”, would also amend Title IX. The bill passed in the House with 218 voting in favor and 206 against.

As of Tuesday, January 21, 2025, 47th President, Donald Trump signed an executive order to rescind the 2021 Title IX order, signaling the Education Department to use Title IX to protect against discrimination based on gender identity.

I don’t think having transgender women in sports, bathrooms, or even locker rooms is something not everyone is comfortable with, including myself. Sports isn’t the only place it could be unsafe, bathrooms and locker rooms apply. It would take some resources to be able to build but they should have their own spaces, like gender-neutral bathrooms or locker rooms. Overall it can put others in a situation they might not be able to handle. Many are against this bill, but it is in place so that everyone can feel safe in their spaces and play a sport they love, without the possibility of getting injured.