The DOJ will investigate whether California is violating Title IX by allowing transgender athletes to compete in women's sports
The idea is to clarify whether or not state law AB 1266 conflicts with Title IX, which prohibits sex discrimination in educational programs and activities that receive federal financial assistance.
Bondi at the White House/ Jim Watson
The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced an investigation against California over its policy of allowing transgender athletes to compete in women's sports. According to a statement released by the agency headed by Pam Bondi, the idea is to clarify whether or not state law AB 1266 conflicts with Title IX, which prohibits sex discrimination in educational programs and activities that receive federal financial assistance.
The aforementioned California law was enacted in 2013 by Governor Jerry Brown (D) and allows men to participate on women's sports teams in state schools. The investigation against the Golden State aims to determine "whether California, its senior legal, educational, and athletic organizations, and the school district are engaging in a pattern or practice of discrimination on the basis of sex."
From the DOJ, they sent the respective notices to Attorney General Rob Bonta (D), Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond (D), the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF), and the Jurupa Unified School District, where particularly a transgender athlete was the subject of protests over the past few weeks.
"Title IX exists to protect women and girls in education. It is perverse to allow males to compete against girls, invade their private spaces, and take their trophies. This division will aggressively defend women’s hard-fought rights to equal educational opportunities," Harmeet K. Dhillon, assistant attorney general for civil rights at the DOJ, said of the matter.
"The law is clear: Discrimination on the basis of sex is illegal and immoral. My office and the rest of the Department of Justice will work tirelessly to protect girls’ sports and stop anyone—public officials included—from violating women’s civil rights," added U.S. Attorney for the District of California, Bill Essayli.
President Donald Trump sharply criticized California's policies on his Truth Social account, where he summed up the situation as follows: "This is not fair and totally demeaning to women and girls."
Gavin Newsom's confession to Charlie Kirk about transgender athletes in women's sports
"Right now you should come out and be like, 'You know what, the young man who's about to win the state championship in a long jump in female sports,' that shouldn't happen. You as the governor should step out and say no," Kirk told him.
Thereupon, the California governor distanced himself from his party on this issue and responded as follows: "I think it's a matter of fairness; I completely agree with you on that. It's a fairness issue. It's deeply unfair."
"There's also a humility and grace, but you know that these poor people are more likely to commit suicide and have anxiety and depression. And the way that people talk down to vulnerable communities is an issue that I have a hard time with as well. So both things I can hold in my hand," he added.
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