US President, Joe Biden is facing criticism after signing an executive order that forces schools to include transgender athletes in girls’ sports.
According to the Biden Administration, the law is aimed at Preventing and Combating Discrimination on the Basis of Gender Identity or Sexual Orientation.
Some Americans are claiming that the order will now make it compulsory for schools to allow transgender female students to compete in girls’ sports .
Some critics say it will disadvantage cis girls; accusing Biden of ‘erasing women’ and imposing ‘a new glass ceiling’.
But many LGBT rights activists have hailed the executive order, arguing that Biden is making good on his promise to create a more unified and inclusive country. Back in March 2020, Idaho state became the nation’s first to prohibit transgender students who identify as female from playing on female teams at public schools.
In the US, 16 states ‘have friendly policies that help facilitate full inclusion of trans and non-binary students in high school athletic.
Trump during his administration was opposed to the inclusion of transgender female athletes in girls’ sports and threatened to pull funding but Biden has used his first days in office to announce his own anti-discrimination executive order.
The order, titled Preventing and Combating Discrimination on the Basis of Gender Identity or Sexual Orientation, was signed just hours after the new POTUS assumed office on Wednesday evening.
It states that ‘Children should be able to learn without worrying about whether they will be denied access to the restroom, the locker room, or school sports.’
The order adds: ‘It is the policy of my administration to prevent and combat discrimination on the basis of gender identity or sexual orientation’.
Biden claims that such anti-discrimination policies are ‘enshrined in the nation’s anti-discrimination laws’, and align with a Supreme Court ruling from 2020 that prohibits ‘discrimination on the basis of someone’s gender identity’.
As it stands schools will have funding pulled if they do not allow transgender female athletes to compete in girls’ sports.
Reacting to the order, Journalist Abigail Shrier wrote on Twitter: ‘On day 1, Biden unilaterally eviscerates women’s sports. Any educational institution that receives federal funding must admit biologically-male athletes to women’s teams, women’s scholarships, etc. A new glass ceiling was just placed over girls.’
Erielle Davidson of The Jewish Institute for National Security of America, wrote: ‘Sad day for women’s sports. Women must compete against biological males at the risk of injury and loss of title, thanks to a new Biden executive order. Don’t ever tell me this is ‘pro-woman.’ It’s not. It’s destructive and malicious.’
