02.28.25

Republicans Are the Party of Protecting Women and Girls’ Sports

Taking Action on an Issue Supported Overwhelmingly by the American People, President Trump and Senate Republicans Are Protecting Women and Girls’ Sports

“[I]t turns out there was an election between last summer and now, in which the American people spoke otherwise. And they had a very different view than the Democrats on a whole range of issues – issues on which I think the left and the Democrat Party’s completely out of step with the American people. Not the least of which is allowing boys to play girls’ sports.” – Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.)

PRESIDENT TRUMP SIGNED AN EXECUTIVE ORDER PROTECTING GIRLS’ SPORTS, AND HIS ADMINISTRATION IS MAKING SURE STATES COMPLY

  • In February, President Trump signed an executive order proscribing “male competitive participation in women’s sports” and rescinding “all funds from educational programs that deprive women and girls of fair athletic opportunities, which results in the endangerment, humiliation, and silencing of women and girls and deprives them of privacy.” (White House: Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports – 2/5/25)
  • The order fulfills “one of his major campaign promises of keeping biological men out of girls and women’s sports. Trump signed the executive order on National Girls and Women in Sports Day, which celebrates female athletes in women’s sports and those who are committed to providing equal access to sports for all females.” (Fox News: Trump signs 'No Men in Women's Sports' executive order – 2/5/25)
  • Attorney General Pam Bondi is enforcing the president’s executive order, writing, “This Department of Justice will defend women and does not tolerate state officials who ignore federal law… We will leverage every legal option necessary to ensure state compliance with federal law and President [Donald] Trump’s executive order.” (Politico: Trump’s AG threatens 3 states over transgender sports policies – 2/25/25)

CONGRESSIONAL REPUBLICANS ARE WORKING TO PERMANENTLY CODIFY THIS COMMONSENSE ORDER INTO LAW

Thune Ruthless

(Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) on the Ruthless podcast)

“This is why this is an 80/20 issue, because people are like ‘Yeah, well, of course,’ right? And it’s unfortunate that it’s something that needs to be codified, but we’re going to try and make sure that the president’s EO is, endures over time, and the way to do that is to have Congress take action. My assumption is we’ll get a lot of resistance, obviously, from the Democrats… But this one to me, yeah, it just seems like it’s just common sense, you know? I mean, logic – once in a while, you ought to yield to logic and just say, ‘This makes, you know, this just makes all the sense in the world.’” – Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.)

  • The Senate is taking up the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, which “would ban biological males from participating on girls’ school sports teams.” (Fox News: Trump signs 'No Men in Women's Sports' executive order – 2/5/25)
  • The House passed the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act in January 2025. (H.R. 28: Roll Call Vote #12 – 1/14/25)
  • “Congress needs to act on this to make sure the next Democrat administration can’t take the same steps to destroy Title IX that the Biden administration took. I introduced a bill, the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, that would make President Trump’s Executive Order permanent. My bill prevents a school from receiving federal funding if it lets boys compete in women’s sports. It also defines gender as male and female for this purpose.” – Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.)
  • “Common sense should tell us that women and girls shouldn’t be forced to compete in sports or share a school locker room with biological males. Although the Biden Administration fought to erase biological differences, I want to uphold equal opportunity for the next generation of female athletes.” – Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.)
  • “Women and girls across our nation nearly saw their ability to achieve their own personal American Dream ripped away when President Biden and Vice President Harris chose to dismantle Title IX protections. I appreciate President Trump’s leadership on this critical issue, and I am proud to be a cosponsor of Senator Tuberville’s Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, which would codify these protections.” – Sen. Katie Britt (R-Ala.)
  • “It’s incredibly important Congress immediately acts on this priority. I think the president is really setting the tone, making this a very immediate priority for this administration, just as he promised to do on the campaign trail.” – White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt

AMERICANS OVERWHELMINGLY AGREE WITH REPUBLICANS ON THIS ISSUE. WILL DEMOCRATS FINALLY LISTEN?

  • 79% of respondents to a January 2025 New York Times/Ipsos poll believe that athletes who are biologically male but who identify as female “[s]hould not be allowed to compete in women’s sports,” including 67% of Democrat/Lean Democrat respondents and 64% of Independent/Something else respondents. (New York Times/Ipsos Survey – Jan. 2025)
  • Americans sent their message to Democrats last November:
    • “Democrats are bickering over the lack of response to transgender messaging from Republicans during the campaign as the GOP repeatedly went after Vice President Kamala Harris with ads attacking her on the issue that went unanswered by Democrats, leaving her defenseless.” (The Washington Examiner: Democrats feud over Harris’s silence on transgender rights campaign ad – 11/20/24)
    • “Out of the transgender battle came endless Republican attacks on Harris’s support for allowing transgender women to play in women’s sports.” (The Washington Examiner: Democrats feud over Harris’s silence on transgender rights campaign ad – 11/20/24)
    • “Harris largely avoided the issue on the trail and in interviews and it was notably absent from this year’s Democratic National Convention.” (NBC News: Some Democrats blame party’s position on transgender rights in part for Harris’ loss – 11/8/24)