Trump Administration Rescinds Title IX LGBTQ Protections
Education Secretary Linda McMahon rescinded Biden-era Title IX policies that extended federal sex discrimination protections to LGBTQ individuals in schools.
The Trump administration rescinded a Biden-era policy on Monday that extended federal sex discrimination protections in schools to LGBTQ individuals. Linda McMahon, the Secretary of Education, stated the move codifies current enforcement of Title IX and aligns regulations with court orders and congressional intent to reduce confusion for educational institutions. The revision follows a ruling by a Kentucky federal judge that blocked the previous administration's interpretation changes.
Advocates for sexual assault survivors, including the National Women’s Law Center, argue the rollback extends beyond gender identity protections. They claim the new rules narrow the definition of sex-based harassment and reverse requirements for schools to investigate misconduct occurring off-campus. The change also removes the preponderance of evidence standard for determining sexual misconduct, which had previously lowered the burden of proof.
Shiwali Patel of the National Women’s Law Center accused the administration of weaponizing Title IX to attack transgender students while systematically weakening laws that keep students safe and schools accountable.
