What happened?

  • The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) unanimously (20-0) voted to ban transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports. [foxnews.com, nypost.com, theblaze.com, oann.com, washingtontimes.com, apnews.com, theguardian.com]
  • The NAIA defines biological sex based on distinguishing characteristics and birth certificate or signed affidavit, and its policy states that only athletes whose biological sex is female may participate in “NAIA-sponsored female sports,” effective August 1. [nypost.com, foxnews.com, apnews.com]
  • The NAIA’s policy allows all athletes to participate in NAIA-sponsored male sports, but only athletes whose biological sex assigned at birth is female and have not begun hormone therapy will be allowed to compete in women’s sports. [theepochtimes.com, washingtontimes.com, apnews.com]
  • The NAIA is believed to be the first college sports organization to take such a step. [apnews.com]
  • NAIA President and CEO Jim Carr said the policy was deemed best for member schools for competitive reasons, and they have tried to allow for some participation by all. [apnews.com]
  • About 190 of the 241 NAIA schools are private, and about 125 of those have religious affiliations of varying degrees, which Carr said may have had some impact on the policy decision. [apnews.com]
  • The NAIA’s 2023-24 policy did not bar transgender and nonbinary athletes from competing in the division of their choice in the regular season, but in the postseason, and with some exceptions for those who have had hormone therapy, athletes had to compete in the division of their birth sex. [apnews.com]
  • Shiwali Patel, senior counsel at the National Women’s Law Center, said the NAIA policy is unacceptable and blatant discrimination that harms trans, nonbinary, and intersex individuals, and limits the potential of all athletes. [apnews.com]
  • Kasey Havekost, a former Division I athlete who is now a higher education attorney, expects lawsuits will follow and challenge the NAIA policy on the basis of Title IX laws. [apnews.com]

What is Conservative media saying?

  • The NAIA’s decision has faced criticism, with the National Women’s Law Center and Athlete Ally, a sports LGBTQ+ organization, expressing outrage and calling it unacceptable discrimination. [theblaze.com, oann.com]
  • The NAIA’s policy contrasts with the NCAA’s approach, which allows individual sports governing bodies to decide the rules for transgender athlete eligibility, and the NCAA has stated it will continue to promote Title IX and ensure fair competition for all student-athletes. [breitbart.com, newsmax.com]
  • At least 24 states have laws barring transgender women and girls from competing in certain women’s or girls sports competitions. [washingtontimes.com]

What is Liberal media saying?

  • The NAIA’s decision has sparked concerns that the NCAA, the main college sports governing body, may follow suit, though the science surrounding any physical advantages transgender women may retain over cisgender women is unsettled and ongoing. [washingtonpost.com]

Sources:

  • Fox News
  • New York Post
  • The Blaze
  • One America News Network
  • The Washington Times
  • The Epoch Times
  • Breitbart
  • Newsmax
  • Associated Press
  • The Guardian
  • The Washington Post