Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2025
The Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2025 would amend Title IX to classify a person’s sex for athletics strictly by their reproductive biology and genetics at birth. Specifically, it would prohibit federally funded schools or programs from allowing a person identified as male at birth to participate in athletic programs or activities designated for women or girls. In short, participation rules for women’s sports would be determined by birth biology/genetics rather than current gender identity or sex as defined later in life. The bill would apply to any recipient of federal funds that runs athletics, making noncompliance a Title IX violation. This change would formalize a birth-based standard for determining eligibility in women’s sports and is positioned as a measure to “protect women and girls in sports.” While intended to preserve competitive balance and fairness in women’s programs, the proposal would also have broad implications for transgender athletes and for schools’ eligibility and enforcement practices under Title IX.
Key Points
- 1Defines sex for purposes of Title IX compliance in athletics as the reproductive biology and genetics a person has at birth.
- 2Prohibits recipients of federal funds who operate or sponsor athletic programs from permitting a person whose sex is male to participate in programs designated for women or girls.
- 3Adds a new subsection (d) to Section 901 of the Education Amendments of 1972 (Title IX) to codify this rule.
- 4Applies to all athletic programs or activities that receive federal funding, including K–12 and higher education settings.
- 5Represents a policy choice to prioritize a birth-based sex classification in sports over current gender identity for competitive eligibility, potentially affecting transgender athletes and schools’ compliance strategies.