WASHINGTON (LifeSiteNews) – The U.S. Department of Education (DOE) under President Joe Biden is expected to extend Title IX, the set of rules that prohibit discrimination in public education on the basis of sex, to include transgender students.
An apparent draft of the new regulations obtained by The Washington Post from two anonymous DOE employees reads, “Discrimination on the basis of sex includes discrimination on the basis of sex stereotypes, sex-related characteristics (including intersex traits), pregnancy or related conditions, sexual orientation, and gender identity.”
The new regulations are expected to be released sometime next month.
Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said last June that Title IX “protected” trans students and that the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) would “fully enforce” this interpretation “in education programs and activities that receive federal financial assistance from the department.” Cardona announced the proposed regulations in July.
The decision contradicts Trump administration guidelines that came in the wake of the Supreme Court’s ruling in Bostock vs. Clayton County, which stated that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act protected “transgender rights” in the workplace.
“The Supreme Court has upheld the right for LGBTQ+ people to live and work without fear of harassment, exclusion, and discrimination –- and our LGBTQ+ students have the same rights and deserve the same protections,” Cardona said.
“The Department makes clear that all students — including LGBTQ+ students — deserve the opportunity to learn and thrive in schools that are free from discrimination.”
The regulations would overrule laws enacted by about 12 states, including Florida, Mississippi, and Texas, which prevent men from participating in women’s sports, the Post reported.
‘Transgender’ women in women’s sports and education
The draft of the DOE’s proposed regulations come in the wake of controversy surrounding William “Lia” Thomas, a man identifying as a woman who “won” the 500 freestyle at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) championships earlier this month.
The NCAA has been criticized by multiple female athletes over Thomas’ participation in NCAA events. Earlier this week, a group of University of Arizona alumnae, along with several former Olympians and former Arizona coaches wrote an open letter to the organization asking them to protect women’s sports. Virginia Tech swimmer Réka György had previously penned a similar letter to the NCAA.
“#LiaThomas says she’s a woman and steals #TitleIX sports medals from women. @NCAA, @UPENN and other leftists fawn over Thomas. #RachelDolezal said she’s black and leftists all but banish her to Siberia. If Lia says she feels black, will that be a bridge to far?”
—@stephensacks— Larry Elder (@larryelder) March 26, 2022
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis issued a proclamation that declared the runner-up, Florida native Emma Wayant of the University of Virginia, the winner of the event.
“Florida rejects the NCAA’s efforts to destroy women’s athletics, disapproves of the NCAA elevating ideology over biology, and takes offense at the NCAA trying to make others complicit in a lie,” DeSantis said.
DeSantis signed the Parental Rights in Education Bill on Monday, forbidding teachers from discussing gender ideology from kindergarten to third grade. Cardona, reacting to the bill, released a statement on March 8 saying, “The Department of Education has made clear that all schools receiving federal funding must follow federal civil rights law, including Title IX’s protections against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.”
“We stand with our LGBTQ+ students in Florida and across the country, and urge Florida leaders to make sure all their students are protected and supported,” Cardona said.