INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana (LifeSiteNews) – The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) unveiled proposed changes to its constitution last week that could push Catholic and other Christian colleges out of the association.
The National Catholic Register reported that the NCAA’s new draft constitution includes a section that would require colleges to “comply with federal and state laws and local ordinances, including respect to gender equity, diversity and inclusion.”
“That might seem harmless, to require compliance with the law. But then again, why is there a need to add such a provision, with specific reference to ‘gender equity, diversity and inclusion?’” Patrick Reilly, founder and president of The Cardinal Newman Society, wrote for the Register. “There is an agenda here that threatens religious institutions.”
The changes could force participating schools to submit to the pro-LGBT dictates of the Biden administration, for example. An executive order signed by Joe Biden on his first day in office declared that prohibitions against “sex discrimination” applied to “discrimination on the basis of gender identity or sexual orientation.”
The Biden Education Department later announced that it would enforce Title IX, which bans sex discrimination in any education institution that receives federal funding, against “discrimination” on the grounds of “gender identity” and “sexual orientation.”
Catholic institutions are under attack everywhere unless they embrace "gender-equity" mandates, which means embracing biological boys competing in female sports. Catholics can never support this. Like abortion, we will have to stand firm in truth.https://t.co/Urql4YQyYb
— Halton Parents Preserve Catholic Education (@ParentsHalton) December 12, 2021
“Based on the proposed new amendment to the NCAA constitution, it might be that the NCAA would exclude faithful colleges like Belmont Abbey College, the Catholic University of America and the University of Mary from participation. They could technically be in violation of existing (although clearly unconstitutional) laws,” Reilly warned.
While drafting its new constitution, NCAA ignored a proposal by Catholic colleges and the evangelical Council for Christian Colleges and Universities to add a provision that would exempt private religious institutions from having to adopt policies that conflict with their values, Reilly noted.
UPDATE (1/29/21) - On day one of the new administration, Biden signed an Executive Order dismantling girls sports, and allowing biological boys back into girls locker-rooms.
The order declares: "Children should be able to learn without worrying about whether they will be denied access to the rest room, the locker room, or school sports. . . . All persons should receive equal treatment under the law, no matter their gender identity or sexual orientation."
This affront to reason effectively signals an end to girls' and women's sports, and diminishes their effort to compete on a level playing field.
Though this petition has already been delivered once, we will deliver new signatures to the US Dept of Education when restrictions permit, in honor of Selina Soule, who filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) in 2019.
UPDATE (5/29/20) - US Dep’t of Education: Letting males compete in girls’ sports violates female athletes’ civil rights
UPDATE (2/13/20) - Selina Soule and two other Connecticut high school girl track athletes, Alanna Smith and Chelsea Mitchell, have sued the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference (CIAC) to stop boys who claim to be girls from competing in their sport.
Soule is the same high school girl who, last year, filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR). That complaint is still ongoing, as the OCR has not yet handed down its guidance ruling.
This also explains why this petition is still ongoing. Please SIGN and SHARE.
But, with another track season soon coming to an end, the girls' attorneys have asked the Court for an injunction that would stop the CIAC from implementing its current policy while the lawsuit proceeds.
Soule, Smith, and Mitchell will soon run in regional and state meets, competing for state championships. This year, they would like to have the opportunity to win, fair and square.
Please learn more about the latest news concerning this case, here: https://www.lifesitenews.com/opinion/three-girls-sue-state-to-stop-boys-who-say-theyre-girls-from-competing-in-their-sport
Then, please SIGN this petition. Thank you!
________________________________________________________________________
Selina Soule is a female athlete who now must compete against biological males because of Connecticut's policy requiring that boys who identify as girls be admitted into girls' sports competitions.
But, when boys compete in girls' sports, they win because they have a natural advantage. It's scientifically proven, and it's also common sense.
This crushes the motivation of the biological girls who have worked hard to compete on a level playing field, only to enter into competitions which they can never win, despite all of their efforts.
It also puts girls into harm's way in contact sports, AND it deprives female athletes of their right to fairly compete for college scholarships and other accolades.
This is wrong! And, that's why this URGENT petition supports Selina and all the other female athletes out there, who have put in the hours on the track or on the court.
Please SIGN this common sense petition supporting Selina Soule's complaint to the Dept of Education's Office for Civil Rights, against Connecticut's discriminatory policy.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/high-school-girl-files-federal-complaint-for-having-to-race-boys
*Above photo credit: Michael Goodin / The Daily Signal
The NCAA’s Constitution Committee will submit final recommendations to the Board of Governors by December 15, according to Inside Higher Ed. Members are expected to vote on the changes at the 2022 NCAA conference in January.
The NCAA has notably allowed gender-confused males to compete on women’s teams after a single year of testosterone suppression since 2010, jeopardizing female athletes’ safety and careers.
Studies have repeatedly shown that gender dysphoric men massively outperform females in athletic competitions, regardless of so-called “gender transitioning.” A study published earlier this year in Sports Medicine found that 12 months of testosterone suppression only results in “very modest changes” to males’ inherent physical advantages.
The NCAA Board of Directors nevertheless doubled down on its embrace of the anti-science demands of the transgender movement earlier this year, announcing in a statement that it “firmly and unequivocally supports the opportunity for transgender student-athletes to compete in college sports.”
“When determining where championships are held, NCAA policy directs that only locations where hosts can commit to providing an environment that is safe, healthy, and free of discrimination should be selected,” the statement added. “We will continue to closely monitor these situations to determine whether NCAA championships can be conducted in ways that are welcoming and respectful of all participants.”
Ten Republican-led states have so far enacted restrictions to prohibit gender-confused males from competing on women’s sports teams, mostly in the past year. The NCAA has yet to relocate a championship game due to the policies, though it did pressure North Carolina to repeal a law that required students to use bathrooms according to their biological sex in 2016.