Biden's Title IX Reversal: A Blow to Women and Girls?

The Biden administration's recent changes to Title IX, expanding LGBTQ protections under the law, have sparked controversy and lawsuits. Florida, along with several other states, is suing the Biden administration, arguing that the new rules violate states' rights and harm women and girls.

The Biden administration's recent changes to Title IX, expanding LGBTQ protections under the law, have sparked controversy and lawsuits. Florida, along with several other states, is suing the Biden administration, arguing that the new rules violate states' rights and harm women and girls.

The Biden administration's revision of Title IX redefines "sex" as "gender identity" and "sexual orientation," while also requiring schools to ensure students use "preferred pronouns" for their classmates. If not, the school is at risk of losing federal funding. Under the rule, a school must also not separate or treat people differently based on sex, which will allow locker rooms and bathrooms to be based on gender identity.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis accused the Biden administration of "abusing his constitutional authority" and pushing an "ideological agenda that harms women and girls." The lawsuit argues that Biden has overstepped his authority by attempting to flaunt Congress.

The Biden administration's changes to Title IX prevent schools from banning biological males from competing in women's sports, among other things. Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr, who announced the lawsuit on Monday, called the Biden administration's changes "dangerous for women" and said they would "destroy women's sports."

Carr has previously pushed back against Biden's Title IX revision, which was first introduced in July 2022. He called upon the NCAA to protect women's sports by repealing the rule allowing biological males to participate in women's sports. Carr has also taken similar legal action in support of Arizona and West Virginia's "Save Women's Sports Act."

The Florida lawsuit argues that the Biden administration's changes to Title IX violate the Administrative Procedure Act and should be set aside. The lawsuit also argues that the Biden administration does not have the authority to override the text of Title IX, which Congress enacted in 1972.

The lawsuit is being supported by the Independent Women's Law Center, Independent Women's Network, Parents Defending Education, and Speech First, Inc. It is still unclear how the courts will rule on the lawsuit, but the controversy surrounding Title IX is likely to continue.