Last progress January 13, 2025 (1 year ago)
Introduced on January 13, 2025 by Marsha Blackburn
Referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Directs U.S. collegiate and other sports-governing bodies to adopt policies that exclude transgender-identifying males from competing on women’s collegiate sports teams and to protect the category of women’s sports as reserved for biological females. Urges the NCAA to revoke its current transgender student‑athlete eligibility policy, forbid transgender-identifying males from women’s rosters, and require member conferences to use sex‑based policies.
Athletic participation has an important positive impact on young girls, improving their physical, emotional, and psychological health, self-confidence, and discipline.
Women have been responsible for some of the greatest athletic feats in U.S. sports history, from the Olympic games to professional competition and collegiate sports.
The enactment of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 was a pivotal moment in Federal support of women in sports and applied to virtually all postsecondary institutions that receive Federal financial assistance.
There are fundamental and enduring biological differences between males and females that put females at a competitive disadvantage in sports and jeopardize their safety when competing against males.
In 2010 the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) adopted a policy that enables biological males to participate on women’s rosters and compete in the women’s sports category, and that policy continues today.
Direct effects: The resolution targets collegiate athletics policy. If NCAA and conferences adopt the requested rules, transgender students assigned male at birth who identify as female would be barred from competing on women’s collegiate teams, directly affecting their eligibility and participation. Women and girls on collegiate teams would be affected by changes intended to reserve competition categories for biological females. Colleges, athletic departments, coaches, and compliance offices would need to update eligibility rules, roster practices, and recruiting policies.
Administrative and institutional impact: NCAA member conferences and institutions would face decisions about membership rules and enforcement; athletic departments might need new processes for sex verification, roster certification, and appeals. Conference championship eligibility and scholarship administration could be affected where policies change roster composition.
Legal and programmatic risks: Because the resolution concerns sex‑ and gender‑related eligibility, adoption of exclusionary policies could trigger legal challenges alleging discrimination under federal civil‑rights laws (including Title IX or other statutes or constitutional claims), state laws, or prompt changes in institutional nondiscrimination policies. Athletic organizations could face litigation, administrative complaints, or litigation costs if they implement exclusionary rules.
Broader effects: The resolution is likely to influence public debate and the policy positions of universities, state athletic associations, and other governing bodies. Because it is non‑binding, its direct legal effect is limited to persuasion; real-world impacts would depend on whether and how the NCAA or conferences change their rules and how courts and regulators respond.
Updated 4 days ago
Last progress January 15, 2025 (1 year ago)
