Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports

February 05, 2025

Note: Throughout this text, the words 'men' and 'women' refer to the Trump administration's definitions of man and woman

This executive order aims to protect opportunities for women and girls in sports by prohibiting men from competing in women's sports. It directs federal agencies to rescind funding from programs that violate this policy and promotes international rules and norms to protect sex-based female sports categories. The order cites Title IX and aims to ensure women and girls equal athletic opportunities. Specific actions for federal agencies include policy review, enforcement actions, and convening stakeholders to develop aligned policies. The order also directs changes in visa policy to prevent the entry of men seeking to compete in women's sports in the US.

Policy and Purpose

This executive order asserts that allowing men to compete in women's sports is unfair, dangerous, and denies women equal opportunity. It declares a policy to rescind federal funds from educational programs that allow men to compete in women’s sports and to broadly oppose male participation in women’s sports.

Definitions

The definitions from Executive Order 14168 (Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government) are adopted for this order.

Preserving Women’s Sports in Education

The Secretary of Education is directed to protect all-female athletic opportunities and locker rooms, prioritize Title IX enforcement against institutions allowing men to compete in women's sports, and ensure a vacated rule regarding nondiscrimination based on sex does not take effect.

Executive departments and agencies are instructed to review grants to educational programs and rescind funding for those not complying with the order.

The Department of Justice is tasked with providing resources to ensure enforcement of the policy.

Preserving Fairness and Safety in Women’s Sports

The Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy will convene athletic organizations and female athletes to promote fair and safe policies consistent with Title IX and will work with State Attorneys General to identify best practices in defining and enforcing equal opportunities for women in sports.

The Secretary of State is directed to rescind support for international sports exchanges that do not maintain sex-based categories and to promote international rules protecting female sports categories. The Secretary of State may convene athletic organizations and athletes for this purpose.

The Secretary of State and the Secretary of Homeland Security are directed to review and adjust policies to potentially restrict the entry of males seeking to participate in women’s sports in the US.

The Secretary of State is directed to advocate for the International Olympic Committee to amend standards to ensure participation in women’s sporting events is determined by sex.

General Provisions

Standard provisions ensuring the order doesn't conflict with existing law, is subject to appropriations, doesn't create new enforceable rights, and maintains the order’s validity if parts are deemed invalid.