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Adds definitions of “female,” “male,” and “sex” to federal law and creates a new rule that bars any person whose sex is male from participating in amateur athletic competitions that are designated for females, women, or girls. The change is implemented by amending the relevant provisions of Title 36 of the U.S. Code to add the definitions, adjust punctuation, and add the participation prohibition.
Adds a definition of “female” to Section 220501(b) of Title 36: “means an individual who has, had, will have—or would have, but for a developmental or genetic anomaly or historical accident—the reproductive system that at some point produces, transports, and utilizes eggs for fertilization.”
Adds a definition of “male” to Section 220501(b) of Title 36: “means an individual who has, had, will have—or would have, but for a developmental or genetic anomaly or historical accident—the reproductive system that at some point produces, transports, and utilizes sperm for fertilization.”
Adds a definition of “sex” to Section 220501(b) of Title 36: “means an individual’s biological sex, either male or female.”
Amends Section 220522 of Title 36 by striking “and” at the end of paragraph (18).
Amends Section 220522 of Title 36 by striking the period at the end of paragraph (19) and inserting “; and”.
Who is affected and how:
Transgender and gender-diverse people: Individuals whose sex is male (including many transgender women) are the primary group directly prohibited from participating in competitions designated for females, women, or girls. This restriction removes eligibility for those persons in any amateur female-designated athletic events covered by the statute.
Women and female-designated competitions: Cisgender women and girls participating in female-designated events are a principal intended beneficiary population under the statute, as the rule is framed to reserve female-designated amateur competitions to persons defined as female.
Amateur and youth sports organizations: Local leagues, school athletic programs, college and university athletic departments, and national amateur-governing bodies will need to review and likely update eligibility policies, registration forms, and enforcement practices to reflect the federal statutory prohibition. That may require administrative changes, identity/sex verification procedures, and staff training.
K–12 schools and higher education institutions: Schools that sponsor female-designated amateur athletics will face compliance decisions and potential legal exposure; they may need to revise participation rules and respond to disputes or complaints from students, families, or advocacy groups.
Legal and civil-rights systems: The statute is likely to generate legal claims and litigation challenging or defending the prohibition on grounds including civil-rights law, equal protection, Title IX (in education contexts), and other constitutional or statutory theories. Courts and agencies may be asked to interpret the new definitions and scope.
Public discourse and health/community supports: Affected athletes and families could experience emotional and social impacts; service providers (counselors, athletic trainers) and advocacy organizations will likely be involved in response, outreach, and representation.
Budgetary and administrative impact: The text contains no funding, new enforcement agency, or budget provisions. Implementation or compliance costs (policy updates, possible litigation, training) would fall on affected organizations (schools, leagues, governing bodies) and private parties, not on a new federal appropriation.
Uncertainties and interactions: The amendment does not specify enforcement mechanisms, exceptions, or how it interacts with state laws, existing league rules, or educational nondiscrimination obligations; those gaps create legal and administrative uncertainty that could drive litigation and agency involvement after enactment.
Adds new paragraphs (13)–(15) to subsection (b) providing definitions for 'female', 'male', and 'sex'.
Alters punctuation in paragraphs (18) and (19) and adds a new paragraph (20) prohibiting males from participating in amateur athletic competitions designated for females, women, or girls.
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Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Introduced February 5, 2025 by Thomas Hawley Tuberville · Last progress February 5, 2025
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Introduced in Senate