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07/09 17:27 CDT Trump administration sues California over transgender athlete
policies
Trump administration sues California over transgender athlete policies
By SOPHIE AUSTIN
Associated Press/Report for America
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) --- President Donald Trump's administration sued the
California Department of Education on Wednesday for allowing transgender girls
to compete on girls sports teams, alleging the policy violates federal law.
The move escalates a battle between the Republican administration in Washington
and Democratic-led California over trans athletes.
The lawsuit filed by the Justice Department says California's transgender
athlete policies violate Title IX, the federal law that bans discrimination in
education based on sex. The department says California's rules "are not only
illegal and unfair but also demeaning, signaling to girls that their
opportunities and achievements are secondary to accommodating boys."
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi warned other states that allow trans girls to
compete in female athletics that they could also face challenges by the federal
government.
"If you do not comply, you're next," she said in a video posted on social
media. "We will protect girls in girls sports."
The state Education Department and the California Interscholastic Federation,
the governing body for high school sports that was also named a defendant, said
they would not comment on pending litigation.
Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom's office deferred to the federation and the
education agency to comment on the lawsuit because the governor was not named a
defendant. But Newsom's office said the Trump administration's attacks on the
state's transgender athlete policies are "a cynical attempt" to distract from
the federal government's withholding of funds for after-school and summer
programs.
California has a more than decade-old law on the books that allows students to
participate in sex-segregated school programs, including on sports teams, and
use bathrooms and other facilities that align with their gender identity.
Trump criticized the participation of a transgender high school student-athlete
who won titles in the California track-and-field championships last month.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon wrote in a letter after the meet
that the California Interscholastic Federation violated the Equal Protection
Clause of the Constitution by allowing trans girls to compete against other
female athletes.
The federal Education Department earlier this year launched an investigation
into California's policies allowing athletes to compete on sports teams
consistent with their gender identity. The agency said last month that the
policies violate Title IX, and it gave the state 10 days to agree to change
them. But the state this week refused.
Trump also sparred with Maine's Democratic governor over that state's
transgender-athlete policies. Gov. Janet Mills told the president in February,
"We'll see you in court," over his threats to pull funding to the state over
the issue. His administration filed a lawsuit in April alleging Maine violated
Title IX by allowing trans girls and women to compete against other female
athletes.
The Justice Department's lawsuit against California says its policies "ignore
undeniable biological differences between boys and girls, in favor of an
amorphous 'gender identity.'"
"The results of these illegal policies are stark: girls are displaced from
podiums, denied awards, and miss out on critical visibility for college
scholarships and recognition," the suit says.
Meanwhile, on his podcast in March, Newsom angered some party allies when he
questioned the fairness of trans girls competing in girls sports. GOP critics
have called on the governor to back a ban, saying his remarks do not square
with his actions.
The issue is part of a nationwide battle over the rights of transgender youth
in which states have limited transgender girls from participating on girls
sports teams, barred gender-affirming surgeries for minors and required parents
to be notified if a child changes their pronouns at school. More than two dozen
states have laws barring transgender women and girls from participating in
certain sports competitions. Some of the policies have been blocked in court.
Trump signed an executive order in February aimed at barring trans girls and
women from participating on sports teams consistent with their gender identity.
Proponents of a ban, including the conservative California Family Council, say
it would restore fairness in athletic competitions. But opponents, including
the LGBTQ+ advocacy group Equality California, say bans are an attack on
transgender youth.
In Oregon, three high school track-and-field athletes filed a federal lawsuit
against the state this week seeking to remove records set by transgender girls
and prevent them from participating in girls sports. They say allowing trans
girls to compete against other female athletes is unfair and violates Title IX.
The U.S. Education Department launched investigations earlier this year into
Portland Public Schools and the state's governing body for high school sports
over alleged violations of Title IX for allowing trans girls to compete in
girls sports.
___
Associated Press writers Alanna Durkin Richer in Washington and Claire Rush in
Portland, Oregon, contributed.
___
Austin is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse
News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program
that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
Follow Austin on X: @sophieadanna
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