Texas Attorney General Takes Action Against NCAA Over Transgender Athlete Participation
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has initiated legal proceedings against the NCAA, alleging that the organization has misled fans by permitting biological males who identify as transgender women to compete in women’s college sports.
Paxton claims that the NCAA is deceiving supporters who wish to champion female athletes assigned female at birth. In a lawsuit filed on Sunday, he contends that the NCAA has breached the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act by allowing transgender athletes to partake in competitions labeled as women’s events.
Furthermore, Paxton has accused the NCAA of failing to transparently identify transgender athletes, asserting that this lack of disclosure threatens the safety and well-being of female competitors.
The Attorney General is requesting that the court either impose restrictions on the participation of transgender athletes in NCAA competitions held in Texas or prohibit the NCAA from designating events as “women’s sports” when they include transgender women.
In response to the lawsuit, the NCAA issued a statement that did not directly address the specific claims but reiterated its commitment to supporting women’s athletics. The organization affirmed its dedication to promoting Title IX, making significant investments in women’s sports, and ensuring fair competition across all NCAA championships.
This legal action follows a recent Senate Judiciary Committee hearing where NCAA President Charlie Baker faced rigorous questioning from lawmakers regarding transgender athletes. During the session, Baker noted that he was aware of fewer than 10 transgender athletes participating among the more than 500,000 athletes in NCAA sports.
The developments surrounding the lawsuit will be closely monitored as the debate over transgender participation in women’s sports continues to grow.
