Athlete Ally Responds to Title IX Ruling
April 19, 2024 — Athlete Ally responded today to news that the U.S. Department of Education has released their final ruling overhauling Title IX, the landmark federal civil rights law prohibiting sex-based discrimination in any school or any other education program that receives funding from the federal government.
Under the new ruling, the Department of Education underscores that Title IX also forbids discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. LGBTQ+ students who face discrimination will be entitled to a response from their school under Title IX, and those failed by their schools can seek recourse from the federal government. The policy has no mention of transgender athletes.
“The US Department of Education’s ruling on Title IX is an important recognition that anti-LGBTQ discrimination is sex-based discrimination, and that any law which protects people on the basis of sex must also protect students on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity,” said Hudson Taylor, Founder and Executive Director of Athlete Ally. “We hope to see the Department of Education take the additional steps necessary to ensure that these protections extend from the classroom to the playing field so that every athlete is able to play and enjoy sports free from discrimination.”