On Monday, the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), a college athletics governing body, announced a policy that effectively prohibits transgender athletes from participating in most women's sports at its 241 colleges throughout the country, apart from two exceptions.
The transgender participation policy, slated to be implemented in August, allows all athletes to engage in NAIA-sponsored male sports.
However, only athletes who are female at birth and who have not undergone hormone therapy will be allowed to compete in women's sports.
The sole exceptions to the forthcoming policy are NAIA's competitive cheer and dance programs, which will still be open to all students.
In most of their sports, however, NAIA recognizes that strength, speed, and stamina are factors that may provide competitive advantages for male student-athletes.
A student who has started hormone therapy may join in activities such as workouts, practices, and team activities, but will not be permitted to participate in intercollegiate competition.
NAIA President and CEO Jim Carr said in an interview with The Associated Pressthat he understands the policy will create some controversy but that it was determined to be best for member schools for competitive reasons.
"We know there are a lot of opinions, and a lot of people have a very emotional reaction to this, and we want to be respectful of all that," Carr said.
"But we feel like our primary responsibility is fairness in competition, so we are following that path. And we've tried as best we could to allow for some participation by all."
The NAIA's policy for the 2023-24 season did not prevent transgender and nonbinary athletes from competing in the division of their choice during the regular season.
During the postseason, except for a few cases involving hormone therapy, athletes had to compete in the division matching their birth sex.
The issue has become a contentious one, as conservative groups and those alike believe transgender athletes should not be allowed to compete on girls' and women's sports teams.
Shiwali Patel, senior counsel at the National Women's Law Center, said her organization was outraged by the NAIA policy.
"This is unacceptable and blatant discrimination that not only harms trans, nonbinary, and intersex individuals but also limits the potential of all athletes," Patel said in a statement.
"It's important to recognize that these discriminatory policies don't enhance fairness in competition. Instead, they send a message of exclusion and reinforce dangerous stereotypes that harm all women."
At least 24 states have laws barring transgender women and girls from competing in certain women's or girls sports competitions.
