Nia
According to POLITICO's Bianca Quilantin, the NAIA passed a resolution yesterday banning transgender women from participating in women's sports competitions. The NAIA's Council of Presidents “voted unanimously in favor” of a policy that would allow “only students whose biological sex is female” to participate in women's sports. However, “all student-athletes may participate in men's sports.” The NAIA is believed to be “the first collegiate athletic association to implement such a ban.” The policy is scheduled to “take effect for the next school year beginning August 1.” The policy “has already come under intense criticism from LGBTQ advocacy groups,” and the policy “could prompt other governing bodies, such as the NCAA, to follow suit.” But conservative learning groups and advocates who oppose the inclusion of transgender athletes in women's sports “lauded the policy change and urged other associations to follow suit.” Quirantin added that the organization is allowing transgender female athletes to compete on teams that align with their gender identity, as long as they “first undergo treatment to suppress certain hormones for one year.” “I had allowed it,” he pointed out.Politico, 4/8).
What's the next step? In D.C., Kriegman and Dougherty pointed out that NCAA rules allow transgender athletes to “compete in accordance with the guidelines of international sports governing bodies.” The NCAA “generally advocates” for inclusion but is “resisting pressure to withdraw championships from states that prohibit transgender athletes from participating in publicly funded school sports.” . “Approximately 40 transgender athletes are believed to compete in NCAA sports,” said Anna Beiss, director of research at Athletes Ally, a queer sports advocacy group. The NCAA “recently” updated its transgender eligibility rules for swimming championships in January 2022. The organization has “established a sport-specific approach” requiring athletes to follow guidelines set by international governing bodies for specific sports. The changes are “still being phased in.” The NCAA Board of Governors is next expected to meet on April 25th (Washington Post, 4/8).
