On Monday, the U.S. Department of Education issued a press release announcing the University of Pennsylvania violated Title IX by failing to prevent biological males from competing in women’s athletics and use women’s locker rooms at the school.
Earlier this year, President Trump signed an executive order to help protect women and girls from being forced to compete against men. It also protects women’s right to privacy in locker rooms, showers, changing areas, and similar facilities. It also directs federal officials to withdraw funding from educational programs that “deprive women and girls of fair athletic opportunities.”
The Department of Education’s letter indicates the University of Pennsylvania has 10 days to resolve the violation. If it is not resolved voluntarily, the issue will be referred to the U.S. Department of Justice.
We have written time and again about how women’s athletics is at risk of being erased in America.
Female cyclists, swimmers, powerlifters, sprinters, volleyball players, and others have seen their sports radically changed by men who claim to be women.
In 2021 Arkansas passed Act 461 by Sen. Missy Irvin (R — Mountain View) and Rep. Sonia Barker (R — Smackover) to prevent male student athletes from competing against girls in women’s athletics at school. This good law protects fairness in women’s sports in Arkansas.
In 2023 Arkansas lawmakers passed Act 317 by Rep. Mary Bentley (R – Perryville) and Sen. Dan Sullivan (R – Jonesboro) to protect privacy in public school locker rooms, showers, restrooms, changing areas, and similar facilities by requiring public schools to designate these facilities for “male” or “female” use.
And this year legislators passed Act 955 by Sen. Blake Johnson (R — Corning) and Rep. Mary Bentley (R — Perryville) protecting physical privacy and safety of Arkansans in showers, locker rooms, changing rooms, restrooms, and sleeping quarters in government buildings, jails, and in shelters for victims of domestic violence.
Letting men compete in women’s sports is unfair. It reverses 50 years of advancements for women, and in some cases it can even be dangerous. We appreciate our policymakers who work hard to protect fairness in women’s sports in Arkansas and across the country.
Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.
