Idaho Governor Brad Little signed an executive order Wednesday to declare his state’s opposition to new Title IX rules focusing on fair treatment for transgender students.
The U.S. Department of Education released the Final Rule on Title IX in April, updating the 52-year-old law to prevent discrimination “based on sex stereotypes, sexual orientation, gender identity, and sex characteristics.” Less than a month after the rule passed, 26 GOP-led states, including Idaho, sued the Biden administration to block the law from going into effect.
Now, Little is taking his opposition one step further. His executive order requires the state Department of Education to enforce the “original Title IX rules and Idaho law.” His argument specifically focuses on added protections for transgender students and student athletes.
“[M]any female athletes have dedicated themselves tirelessly to their sport since young ages and deserve to compete fairly,” Little states in his order. He claims it is “common sense” that “biological males” have unfair physical advantages in sports.
Contrary to Little’s assumptions, Biden’s new Title IX rules don’t provide any added protections for transgender student athletes. The 1,395 page document revises the definition of “sex discrimination” to include harassment or discriminatory behavior against LGBTQ+ people. It also protects trans students’ rights to use facilities that match their gender identity and requires schools to use their proper names and pronouns.
Little calls the rules “complicated, overreaching, and overbearing” and claims the Biden administration is pushing a “radical redefinition of gender”.
Last year, Little passed a ban that made it a felony to provide gender-affirming care to minors. The law was temporarily blocked by a lower court, but the injunction was lifted by the Supreme Court in April, allowing it to go into effect. Idaho has passed seven anti-trans bills spanning education, healthcare, and civil rights categories, according to Trans Legislation Tracker.
