A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by the Department of Justice against California, allowing biological males who identify as female to continue competing in girls' sports. U.S. District Judge Cynthia Valenzuela made the decision on Monday, with the ruling becoming public on Tuesday.
The Justice Department had sued to enforce Title IX, arguing that the law should be used to prevent biological males from competing in girls' sports. However, Judge Valenzuela grounded her decision in administrative funding rules, finding that the federal government failed to give California explicit prior notice before threatening to pull $44 billion in education funds.
The ruling comes after the Supreme Court upheld states' authority to ban trans athletes from competing in girls' and women's sports, but did not require states to adopt such restrictions. The decision leaves California's policy in place, which allows biological males who identify as female to compete on girls' sports teams.
The Justice Department has confirmed that it is reviewing an appeal of the decision. A spokesperson for the department stated that the agency remains committed to enforcing President Trump's agenda of preventing boys from playing in girls' sports.
The controversy over trans athletes competing in girls' sports has been ongoing in California, with some critics arguing that the issue cannot be measured by headcount alone. They argue that a single biological male can have a significant impact on the outcome of a competition, potentially affecting college recruiting and other opportunities.
NTC Report coverage is based on reporting from the original publisher.
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