On Monday, the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) became the first college sports governing body to impose a ban on transgender athletes participating in women’s sports – and not everyone is happy about it.
According to the new rules from the NAIA, athletes of all genders may participate in NAIA-sponsored male sports but only athletes whose biological sex assigned at birth is female and who have not begun hormone therapy will be permitted to compete in women’s sports.
Shiwali Patel, senior counsel at the National Women’s Law Center, expressed outrage at the decision from the NAIA.
“This is unacceptable and blatant discrimination that not only harms trans, nonbinary and intersex individuals, but limits the potential of all athletes,” Patel said in a statement. “It’s important to recognize that these discriminatory policies don’t enhance fairness in competition. Instead, they send a message of exclusion and reinforce dangerous stereotypes that harm all women.”
And Patel certainly was not alone in this regard as many people took to social media to express their anger and frustration at this decision from the NAIA.
NAIA's decision to ban trans women from sports is unacceptable. It's blatant discrimination that harms not only trans women, but all women.
Trans athletes deserve a chance to play.https://t.co/NjW8A89zbN
— National Women's Law Center (@nwlc) April 8, 2024
The NAIA has banned trans women from competing in women's sports, even though the NAIA says they know of ZERO trans athletes competing in the NAIA.
Making decisions based on right-wing misinformation campaigns is NOT good policy — it’s discrimination. https://t.co/OY9CVcAW5T
— Human Rights Campaign (@HRC) April 8, 2024
The @NAIA's ban on transgender athletes is a cowardly decision that enables discrimination. We strongly urge institutions like the @NCAA to reject this type of blanket discrimination. (1) https://t.co/J0KJS8timb
— Kelley Robinson (@KelleyJRobinson) April 8, 2024
Cheering for discrimination is disgraceful. You should be embarrassed.
— Mickey Roberts (@ChicagoDonutMan) April 9, 2024
You don’t get it. The @NAIA represent 235 schools, with 32,205 women competing in 2022. @ichampionwomen: https://t.co/BPAn0QFDCc
Don’t take away someone’s life altering experience – it’s like taking away math class, sports provide academic, professional, and health benefits -…— Nancy Hogshead, JD, Oly (@Hogshead3Au) April 9, 2024
New Post: NAIA Decides Trans Athletes are Out – Retro Discrimination Is In! https://t.co/zitojvtcJA pic.twitter.com/UzxFD11ojv
— Democrawonk (@Democrawonk) April 9, 2024
It’s worth noting the NAIA is not the primary governing body for major college athletics throughout the country. The NCAA, which governs major college athletic, has not declared a similar ban.
[ESPN]
