On Thursday, a federal judge in Kentucky struck down President Joe Biden’s effort to protect transgender students under Title IX, the federal civil rights legislation enacted in 1972 to protect women from sex discrimination in educational programs that receive federal funding.
According to The New York Times, Chief Judge Danny C. Reeves of the Eastern District of Kentucky wrote that the Education Department could not lawfully expand the definition of Title IX to prohibit discrimination based on gender identity.
“The entire point of Title IX is to prevent discrimination based on sex,” he wrote. “Throwing gender identity into the mix eviscerates the statute and renders it largely meaningless.”
BREAKING: A court just struck down Joe Biden's radical Tile IX rewrite.
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) January 9, 2025
BIG WIN for women and girls!!! pic.twitter.com/x5DlYciAwj
Riley Gaines, a women’s sports advocate who was forced to compete with a transgender athlete, celebrated the ruling on X.
“This morning, a federal court ruled in favor of reality. Biden's Title IX rewrite has been vacated nationwide,” she wrote, adding that, “Common sense is slowly returning.”
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🚨Huge win for girls and women everywhere!!!
— Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) January 9, 2025
This morning, a federal court ruled in favor of reality. Biden's Title IX rewrite has been vacated nationwide.
Common sense is slowly returning. Thank you, @AGTennessee! pic.twitter.com/hD9GZu2CMC
As Townhall covered, the Biden administration’s rules changed the basis of “sex” to encompass the concept of “gender identity.” This is when a person who thinks they are “transgender” aligns with the gender they were not born with.
“These regulations make it crystal clear that everyone can access schools that are safe, welcoming and that respect their rights,” Miguel Cardona, Biden’s education secretary, said in a call with reporters from The New York Times when the new Title IX regulations were announced.
Additionally, in a video posted to X, Cardona claimed that these new rules built upon the legacy of Title IX.
“This final regulation strengthens and restores vital protections against sex discrimination, including sexual harassment. It also protects students against discrimination based on pregnancy or related conditions, sexual orientation and gender identity,” he said in the video.
For over 50 years title IX has opened doors for girls and women.
— Secretary Miguel Cardona (@SecCardona) April 19, 2024
The final regulations we released today strengthen vital protections against sex discrimination, including sexual harassment, discrimination based on pregnancy, and related conditions.https://t.co/Xf70v3axOp pic.twitter.com/TnRUz2mG0K