The state organization overseeing most Wisconsin high school athletic programs updated its policy Wednesday that only athletes who say they are “designated as women at birth” will be allowed to compete in women’s sports.
The change by the Scholastic Athletic Association between Wisconsin is because the Trump administration is acting to ban transgender women and girls from competing in sports.
President Donald Trump signed the February 5 executive order, “no executive order for women’s sports.”
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The WIAA cited compliance with federal directives on policy changes.
“In consultation with our legal counsel, our board of directors updates this policy so that clarity is provided in our membership to work to comply with new federal guidance from the White House. “We did,” WIAA executive director Stephanie Hauser said in a statement.
Board votes are similar to recent actions by the NCAA.
Before the change on Wednesday, WIAA’s transgender policy adopted in 2013 allowed students to participate in sports, regardless of sex they were born.
At least two Wisconsin school districts want to pass measures to ban trans athletes from school teams.
The Arrowhead Union High School and the New London Board of Education both advocate for “Saving Women’s Sports” bills.
Religious and conservative groups such as the Wisconsin Legislative Republicans and Wisconsin Catholic Conference, Wisconsin Family Action, and American Heritage Action have long pushed the ban on transgender athletes.
In April, Gov. Tony Evers rejected the bill that created the ban.
In his rejection message, Evers said he opposed “codified discrimination in state law.”
Abigail Swetz, executive director of Fair Wisconsin, said playing sports as a child is about becoming part of a team and being bigger than you.
That’s especially important for trans kids, Swetz said.
“This ruling is really disappointing and, frankly, I think it’s very opposed to the value that the WIAA supports,” Swetz said. “It’s very important when a trans kid plays on a team he feels he belongs to, especially when, for now, the trans community is under attack from the hostile federal government.”
Title IX was originally passed in 1972 to prevent sex discrimination in education, including athletic programs.
Last year, the Biden administration updated its law to ban discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation, but since Trump’s inauguration continued to change, Trump’s executive order has been ordered .
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