Latest news with #TitleIX
New York Post
12 hours ago
- Politics
- New York Post
Progressive Sen. Ruben Gallego admits ‘legitimate' concerns about trans athletes in girl's sports
Freshman Sen. Ruben Gallego, seen by some observers as a possible 2028 Democratic dark horse, has admitted that there are 'legitimate' issues with male-to-female transgender athletes competing in women's and girl's sports, splitting from many of his fellow progressives. 'As a parent of a daughter, I think it's legitimate that parents are worried about the safety of their daughters, and I think it's legitimate for us to be worried also about fair competition,' Gallego (D-Ariz.) told The Dispatch in an interview published Thursday. 'And I think the parents of these trans children also are worried, legitimately, about the health and wellness of their kids.' Advertisement Gallego, 45, went on to argue that the issue of transgender competition in 'some' school sports should be left to 'local institutions,' without elaborating. 3 Sen. Ruben Gallego tried to stake out middle ground on the thorny issue. CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images 3 Democrats have been under pressure from progressives to allow transgenders to compete in women's sports. Getty Images Advertisement In other cases, the senator added, the message to trans would-be competitors should be: 'Hey, listen, we love you. We want you to be part of our community, but this is just the one place you can't play, and let's find other activities for you to be involved.' Gallego and Elissa Slotkin of Michigan were the only two Democrats to win Senate seats in states that President Trump won in the 2024 election. The Arizonan is not the only Democrat to distance themselves from most progressives on the issue of protecting women's sports. 'I have two girls, I don't want them getting run over on a playing field by a male or formerly male athlete, but as a Democrat, I'm supposed to be afraid to say that,' Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Mass.) said days after the election, drawing backlash from left-wingers. Advertisement 3 California Gov. Gavin Newsom admitted that allow transgenders to compete in women's sports seems 'deeply unfair.' AP Earlier this year, California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, another rumored 2028 aspirant, admitted that allowing transgender competitors in women's sports is 'deeply unfair.' 'I think it's an issue of fairness; I completely agree with you on that. It is an issue of fairness — it's deeply unfair,' the governor said on his podcast during a March interview with conservative pundit Charlie Kirk. Advertisement Earlier this week, the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF), which governs high school athletics in the Golden State, tweaked eligibility rules for a track and field championship to allow 'any biological female student-athlete' into the event who failed to qualify because they were defeated by transgender athletes. Trump had threatened to cut federal funding for California over the issue and the Justice Department opened a Title IX investigation into the matter Wednesday.
Yahoo
13 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
UW Tacoma faculty director charged in domestic abuse, DUI case
This story was originally posted on A University of Washington (UW) Tacoma director has been charged with several crimes regarding alleged domestic abuse. Kurt Dayan Hatch, 55, allegedly threatened to kill his girlfriend and drove under the influence, The News Tribune reported Thursday. Hatch is the faculty director of the Educational Administration Program and Professor of Practice, as stated on the UW Tacoma's website. He was charged with two counts of a protection-order violation, felony harassment, fourth-degree assault, and DUI, according to the media outlet, citing court records. Hatch was arrested on May 12 in Suncadia. Deputies were sent to the Prospector Inn after a woman called 911, yelling, 'Quit hurting me,' The Tacoma News Tribune stated. When deputies arrived, the woman told them everything was fine and she was looking for her dog, however, Cle Elum officers learned the woman had a protection order against Hatch. Hatch, according to the media outlet, is also accused of assaulting his girlfriend in November 2024, allegedly throwing her phone out a window when she tried to call 911. The Tacoma News Tribune stated Hatch was booked into the Kittitas County Jail. He was arraigned and released on $50,000 bail. UW Tacoma sent the media outlet a statement, linking mental health services and information for the Title IX coordinator's office, along with the Washington Employee Assistance Program's website and SafeCampus.
Yahoo
15 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Trump — not trans athletes — is the real threat to women's sports
Despite what you may hear in conservative media or from the White House, it's Donald Trump — not transgender athletes — who poses a true threat to women's sports. Trump, who threatened to 'protect' women 'whether the women like it or not,' has weaponized hatred toward transgender people for political gain, borrowing a bigoted strategy used by other extremist movements (like Nazi Germany, for example). And this week, Trump threatened to withhold federal funding from the state of California because it's allowing a trans woman to participate in high school track-and-field finals. Trump has also announced a Title IX probe into the state for allowing trans participation in sports more broadly. As NBC 4 Los Angeles reported: The U.S. Department of Justice on Wednesday announced an investigation into whether a California law that allows transgender athletes to compete in girls high school sports violates the landmark Title IX federal civil rights law. The DOJ said it sent letters of legal notice to California Attorney General Rob Bonta, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond and the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF), the state's high school sports governing body, and the Jurupa Unified School District, which the agency said is a target of the investigation. The investigation will determine whether California's School Success and Opportunity Act, or AB 1266, conflicts with Title IX, the federal law that bans sex discrimination in schools or educational programs that receive funding from the U.S. government. For the record, Trump and the Republican Party's insistence that trans women's participation in women's sports constitutes a threat to the sanctity of women's sports is not supported by reputable science. Back in 2022, I wrote about a Harvard University panel that featured multiple experts on women's sports, who all pointed to things like patriarchal leadership structures, poor equipment and lack of media coverage as the real source of woe for women's sports programs and athletes. None of them mentioned trans competitors as a concern. So there's a deep irony in Trump using Title IX rules, which are designed to prohibit gender-based discrimination, to crusade against trans athletes. That's because, as ESPN reported in March, Trump's attempts to close down the Department of Education threatens the existence of the very sports he's claiming to defend. Specifically, the outlet reported, the closure threatens the department's Office for Civil Rights, with a purview that includes enforcing Title IX rules that provide support for girls' and women's sports programs: The Office for Civil Rights determines how K-12 schools and colleges and universities are supposed to provide equal opportunities for female athletes, which includes equitable financial aid, promotion, coaching salaries, equipment and travel, among other factors. The Trump administration has shut down the Education Department's regional Office of Civil Rights in California and fired all of its staff. Attorneys who remain at the agency have complained about their office being used as a weapon to wage right-wing culture wars. If one were truly concerned about making sure women's sports programs survive and thrive, it simply doesn't make much sense to fire the officials whose jobs are dedicated, in part, to that goal. Nonetheless, Trump's gutting of the Department of Education undermines the federal agency most responsible for supporting women's sports programs — all while he launches bogus investigations that allow him to pay lip service to defending women. This article was originally published on
Time of India
17 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Transgender Athlete Sparks National Debate: AB Hernandez's Journey in Track and Field
In a pivotal moment for high school athletics, 16-year-old AB Hernandez, a transgender athlete from Jurupa Valley High School, has become the center of a nationwide debate on gender identity and sports fairness. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Her qualification for California's state track and field championships in events like the triple jump, long jump, and high jump has ignited discussions that extend far beyond the track. Hernandez's participation, permitted under California's 2013 law allowing students to compete according to their gender identity, has faced criticism from various quarters. President Donald Trump publicly condemned her inclusion, labeling it "totally demeaning to women and girls," and threatened to withhold federal funding from California unless the state barred her from competing. This stance aligns with his Executive Order 14201, signed in February 2025, which seeks to ban transgender women from participating in women's sports teams across educational institutions. Trump threatens to revoke federal funding from California over transgender high school athlete In response to the escalating controversy, the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) introduced a "pilot entry process" for the state championships. This initiative allows an additional cisgender female athlete, who narrowly missed qualification, to compete in events where a transgender athlete has qualified. The CIF emphasized that this measure aims to balance inclusivity with fairness, ensuring that no athlete is displaced. Governor Gavin Newsom supported the CIF's approach, describing it as a thoughtful resolution to a complex issue. He highlighted the importance of inclusivity and fairness in competition, especially amid rising anti-trans sentiments nationwide. However, critics argue that the policy creates a dual standard and may be discriminatory, while supporters believe it addresses concerns without compromising the rights of transgender athletes. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now 'Totally ridiculous situation!!!' Trump threatens California's funding over transgender athlete The U.S. Department of Justice has also entered the fray, launching a Title IX investigation into California's policies on transgender athletes. The probe examines whether allowing transgender athletes in girls' sports constitutes sex-based discrimination, focusing on the CIF and specific school districts involved. As the state championships approach, Hernandez remains focused on her performance, stating, "All I can do is go out there and compete and just do my best." Her resilience amid the controversy underscores the broader societal challenges at the intersection of sports, identity, and policy. This unfolding situation in California reflects a microcosm of the national debate on transgender rights and sports, highlighting the need for nuanced discussions and policies that respect both inclusivity and fairness.
Daily Mail
20 hours ago
- General
- Daily Mail
Woke state's insane plan to get round Trump's rules and reward transgender athlete for beating biological girls
California Governor Gavin Newsom has hatched a plan to award multiple winners at the state's high school track-and-field championships this weekend as President Donald Trump 's Department of Justice investigates the state over a potential Title IX violation. California opened the event to more girls after a transgender athlete drew criticism for qualifying for the meet. The California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) will now permit an extra competitor in three events featuring transgender high school junior AB Hernandez. The rule change is temporary, according to the CIF, and not a direct response to Trump's recent online criticism of California state policy, Governor Newsom and the 16-year-old Hernandez. 'California, under the leadership of Radical Left Democrat Gavin Newscum, continues to ILLEGALLY allow "MEN TO PLAY IN WOMEN'S SPORTS,"' Trump wrote on his social media platform. 'This week a transitioned Male athlete, at a major event, won "everything," and is now qualified to compete in the 'State Finals' next weekend. 'As a Male, he was a less than average competitor,' Trump continued in an apparent reference to Hernandez. 'As a Female, this transitioned person is practically unbeatable. THIS IS NOT FAIR, AND TOTALLY DEMEANING TO WOMEN AND GIRLS.' Trump then threatened to withhold federal funding 'permanently' if his executive order forbidding transgender athletes in girls and women's sports isn't followed. The rule change is temporary, according to the CIF, and not a direct response to Trump's recent online criticism of California state policy, Governor Newsom and the 16-year-old Hernandez The President also ordered 'local authorities, if necessary, to not allow the transitioned person to compete in the State Finals.' Wednesday, the CIF said it's extending access for more 'biological female' athletes to participate in this weekend's championships. However, the change only applies to this competition. 'Under this pilot entry process, any biological female student-athlete who would have earned the next qualifying mark for one of their Section's automatic qualifying entries in the CIF State meet, and did not achieve the CIF State at-large mark in the finals at their Section meet, was extended an opportunity to participate in the 2025 CIF State Track and Field Championships,' the CIF statement read. 'The CIF believes this pilot entry process achieves the participation opportunities we seek to afford our student-athletes.' A recent Associated Press poll found that 7 in 10 American adults want transgender female athletes banned from girls and women's sports at the high school, college or professional level.
