New Biden Title IX Rules Attack Women in Sports

In a move that has ignited a fresh round of controversy, the Biden administration is releasing regulations that could have far-reaching consequences on how schools handle gender identity and discrimination issues. These regulations, specifically focused on Title IX, are seen as more powerful than many real legislative changes.

The new Title IX rules, issued by the Biden administration, are being lauded by victims’ advocates for redefining sex in civil rights law to include gender identity. However, they are drawing sharp criticism from Republicans who argue that they erode the rights of accused students.

The most contentious aspect of the new rules is the requirement that locker rooms and bathrooms must be based on gender identity. This means that girls could potentially be forced to confront male genitalia if they want to play sports or simply use the restroom. Republicans are particularly vocal in their opposition, labeling the move as an erosion of privacy and safety for women and girls.

The Biden administration is officially undoing sexual assault rules put in place by the former President Donald Trump. The final policy, now under the Biden administration, drew praise from victims’ advocates, while Republicans said it erodes the rights of accused students.

Rep. Virginia Foxx, a Republican from North Carolina and chair of the House Education and the Workforce Committee, expressed her concerns over the new regulation, stating, “This final rule dumps kerosene on the already raging fire that is Democrats’ contemptuous culture war that aims to radically redefine sex and gender.”

The Biden administration’s Title IX changes redefine sex in civil rights law to include gender identity, exposing girls and women across the country to men in their bathrooms, sports teams, and locker rooms. These changes also reinstate Obama-era rules for men accused of sexual assault on college campuses, which some critics argue completely flout due process, making mere accusation the standard that can ruin young men’s lives. Additionally, universities are encouraged to unconstitutionally curtail protected speech in the name of subjective offense and “harassment,” and schools are empowered to enforce rules like punishing children for using biologically incorrect pronouns. Moreover, parents’ rights to know what schools are doing with their children regarding “gender transition” are curtailed under these new regulations.

The 1972 law, Title IX, doesn’t directly address the issue, but the new rules clarify that it also forbids discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. LGBTQ+ students who face discrimination will be entitled to a response from their school under Title IX, and those failed by their schools can seek recourse from the federal government.

Many Republicans say Congress never intended such protections under Title IX. A federal judge previously blocked Biden administration guidance to the same effect after 20 Republican-led states challenged the policy.

As these regulations roll out, they continue to ignite debate over the balance between protecting the rights and safety of all students and ensuring due process for the accused.