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The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights announced Wednesday that California violated federal law by allowing biological males to compete in girls’ sports, a move that the agency said discriminated against female athletes and infringed upon Title IX protections.
The investigation focused on policies implemented by the California Department of Education (CDE) and the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF), which permit student athletes to compete on teams based on their self-declared gender identity, in accordance with California state law. Federal officials concluded that this policy resulted in sex-based discrimination against biological females.
“Although Governor Gavin Newsom admitted months ago it was ‘deeply unfair’ to allow men to compete in women’s sports, both the California Department of Education and the California Interscholastic Federation continued as recently as a few weeks ago to allow men to steal female athletes’ well-deserved accolades and to subject them to the indignity of unfair and unsafe competitions,” Education Secretary Linda McMahon said in a statement.
“The Trump administration will relentlessly enforce Title IX protections for women and girls, and our findings today make clear that California has failed to adhere to its obligations under federal law,” McMahon added. “The state must swiftly come into compliance with Title IX or face the consequences that follow.”
Title IX, enacted in 1972, prohibits sex-based discrimination in any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance. Under current federal guidance, that includes ensuring equal athletic opportunities for girls and women.
According to department officials, California’s adherence to state-level transgender participation policies failed to provide biological female athletes with equal protection and opportunity, as required under federal law. The findings noted that girls were forced to compete in events against male athletes who identified as female, resulting in competitive disadvantages and the loss of scholarships and recognitions.
The Department of Education has given the state 10 days to bring its policies into compliance with Title IX. If the state fails to act, the matter could be referred to the U.S. Department of Justice for further enforcement, which may include litigation or the withholding of federal funds.
McMahon, who took over the Department of Education earlier this year, has prioritized expanding protections for girls in sports, often citing biological differences as a key factor in fair competition. Her statement Wednesday reiterated the administration’s commitment to restoring what she called “the original intent of Title IX — to protect opportunities for women and girls.”
The Trump administration has said it will continue reviewing other states’ athletic policies to determine if similar violations of Title IX have occurred.