Athletes sue NCAA over transgender women participating in female sports
Image: Darren Abate/AP
Last week, a group of 16 female college athletes sued the NCAA, alleging that the organization violated their Title IX rights by allowing transgender women to compete in the category of their affirmed gender.
Background: The case centers around UPenn swimmer Lia Thomas, who swam on the school men’s team for two years before coming out as trans in the summer of 2019. She competed on the men’s team as a female the following season, but sparingly.
- After fulfilling an NCAA requirement that trans female athletes undergo hormone replacement therapy for at least 12 months, Thomas swam for Penn’s women’s team during the 2020-21 season.
- She qualified for the national championships in three events that season, ultimately becoming the first-ever trans athlete to win a D1 national championship with a victory in the women’s individual 500-yard freestyle.
But some competitors say Thomas shouldn’t have swam in the women’s division. The new lawsuit – filed by a group including swimmers who competed against Thomas – alleges the NCAA knowingly violated Title IX’s guarantee of equal opportunity for men and women in college athletics, since Thomas and other trans women have an inherent biological advantage over cisgender women in athletic competitions.
- On the flip side, many LGBTQ+ activists say there’s no evidence of any clear advantages for trans athletes who compete in women’s sports, and that it’s discriminatory to exclude them from participating in the category of their affirmed gender.
👀 Looking ahead… The lawsuit, which seeks a ruling to prevent the NCAA from allowing trans athletes to compete against cisgender women, will play out in a Georgia federal court over the next several months.
📊 Flash poll: In your opinion, should transgender athletes be allowed to compete in women’s sports?
See a 360° view of what media pundits are saying →
Sprinkles from the Left
- Some commentators argue that lawmakers shouldn’t move to enact a blanket ban of trans athletes from women’s sports, but rather should work towards trans eligibility rules on a sport-by-sport basis.
- Others contend that anti-trans activists are wrong to believe that trans female athletes pose a grave danger to cis women’s bodies, success, and scholarships, when the main threat actually comes from cisgendered men.
- “High schools should not ban trans athletes. There’s a far better approach.” –WaPo Editorial Board
- “Now more than ever, cis female athletes must show solidarity with trans athletes” –Johanna Mellis, The Guardian
- “Rights of trans athletes need to be carefully defended” –Emily Bontatibus, Portland Press Herald
Sprinkles from the Right
- Some commentators argue that trans women shouldn’t be allowed to compete in women’s sports because it’s unfair for cisgendered women who are wrongly displaced in competitions, and subject to having their locker room privacy compromised by the presence of a male.
- Others contend that rule-makers and politicians should listen to the voices of female athletes who are expressing their discontent with what they see as an unfair system that allows biologically advantaged athletes to compete against cisgendered women.
- “Biden’s Pretzel Logic on Men in Women’s Sports” –National Review Editorial Board
- “Listen To The Voices Of Female Athletes” –Donna Lopiano, Forbes
- “The Legal Foundation of Women’s Sports Is Under Fire” –David French, NY Times
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