Fact Check… Trans Sports

The Republicans and right wingers have introduced rash of anti-trans legislation focusing on sports. They think that can use trans athletes to rally their base.

USA Today fact-checked their clams.

Fact check: Posts criticizing Biden order on gender discrimination lack context

By McKenzie Sadeghi

February 2, 2021


The claim: Biden's executive order says transgender female athletes must be allowed to compete against women and is tied to federal funding

Since taking office on Jan. 20, President Joe Biden has issued a flurry of executive orders, including one that is aimed at preventing discrimination on the basis of gender identity or sexual orientation and prohibiting workplace discrimination in the federal government.

While the move was celebrated by LGBTQ advocates, the announcement brought forth criticism from some conservatives on social media, with claims that the order threatens women's rights. Critics protested with the hashtag #BidenErasedWomen.

[…]

Existing legal battles

Claims about the executive order follow legal and legislative action aimed at transgender athletes.

Republican lawmakers in several states are pushing legislation to ban transgender athletes from competing in sports for the gender with which they identify.

[…]

A group of female high school runners in Connecticut — one of the states that allows transgender athletes to compete without restrictions — filed a federal lawsuit that seeks to block transgender athletes in the state from participating in female sports, according to the Associated Press.

I see this case going to the Supreme Court, this case directly challenges President Biden’s Executive Order. Even though this case have been going on for years and the timing is such that the case will be pivotal other Title IX cases.

USA Today found that…

Our ruling: Missing context

The claim that Biden's gender discrimination executive order says transgender women must be allowed to compete on women's teams is MISSING CONTEXT, based on our research. The order protects against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity and states children should not be "denied access" to "school sports." The White House said this would include having transgender females play on women's teams. But the posts do not acknowledge that rules for transgender athletes are already in place at the college and Olympic levels, as well as in many states and school districts. Further, it is false to say any educational institution that receives federal funding must add biologically male athletes to teams.