Joe Biden’s executive war on women’s sports continues
In what may be the most offensive moment of his entire White House term, President Joe Biden attempted to fly under the radar on Friday, April 19, by dropping his new provisions regarding Title IX regulations just before the weekend. From its inception, the objective of Title IX was to provide equal opportunities for women in both educational and athletic spaces. From kindergarten all the way through grad school, the directive required state funded institutions to provide programming for young girls and women without discrimination. Yet, with the power of his presidential pen, Biden has inserted “gender identity” as a new, protected class.
So, what’s the big deal?
This ruling dooms Title IX protections. The heartbeat of Title IX was celebrating the distinctions between the sexes as equally important and valuable. Now, President Biden’s reckless reinterpretation of gender has made that impossible. After cutting through all the political rhetoric, the unavoidable outcome of these new regulations will be the invasion of male bodies into women’s sports.
Some will be quick to point out that the ruling did not mention athletics particularly, but the categorical inclusion of “gender identity” essentially bypasses the debate altogether. If a male can simply claim to be a female, and do so with the backing of the federal government, how can we possibly prevent men from dominating the spaces previously created for women? You cannot prize the biological realities of gender while simultaneously inviting people to choose their gender despite biology.
This ruling disadvantages women. Claims to the contrary would be comical if the stakes were not so high. Pretending that trans women (biological males) have no edge over female competition is both dishonest and ludicrous. The American College of Sports Medicine concedes that men are, on average, 10-30% stronger, faster, and more powerful than women in athletic situations. If women are not disadvantaged by competing against men, why not do away with all women’s sports and simply field the best athletes in every contest?
Who can forget the infamous pictures of Lia Thomas standing with his first-place trophy after beating two female Olympians at the 2022 NCAA Championships in Atlanta? After ranking 554th as a male swimmer, we’re supposed to believe that Thomas shattering female swimming records in the 200-meter and 500-meter freestyle events is laudable and fair to women? Give me a break. No conscientious person believes that.
Most of the world recognizes what Joe Biden is attempting to deny. Anticipating this move four months ago, Reem Asalem, a U.N. whistleblower on violence against girls and women, lamented that such a move would be detrimental to the success and opportunity of women of all ages. You cannot prioritize women while allowing men to displace them. A Gallup poll last year indicated that 69% of Americans believe that transgender persons should only be allowed to compete on sports teams that correspond to their biological gender.
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To date, 22 states have enacted laws prohibiting men, regardless of how they identify, from competing against women. In March, the World Athletics Council banned transgender women who had gone through male puberty from competing in elite, international competitions, including the upcoming Paris Olympic games. The World Aquatics Federation and The International Cycle Union issued similar conclusions last year.
This ruling deceives those with gender dysphoria. Despite the claims of some, preserving the integrity of women’s sports is not equal to disdain or hatred for transgender persons. Every American is free to live however he or she chooses. No individual should be free, however, to impose those fictional choices on others. Forcing society to play along with the deceptions of gender dysphoria is cruel and damaging.
Imagine a young lady who is 5’10” but weighs just 90 pounds. If she visits a doctor with the perception that she is overweight, the loving response is to treat her mind, not her body. In fact, putting her on a special diet is the most unloving response imaginable. Suggesting that her self-image is inaccurate is not hateful or bigoted. Reality matters. Truth matters. Lying to others simply to appease their wishes is never helpful. Regarding gender care, speaking the truth is the most loving action society can take for those who opt for a fictional lifestyle. Affirming what is false will only lead to more harm and deeper wounds.
A February column in The New York Times by Pamela Paul, “As Kids, They Thought They Were Trans. They No Longer Do,” highlighted the devastating aftermath of what often passes as “gender-affirming care.” In short, teenagers change their minds. Young people sometimes rebel against their parents. Eight out of 10 cases of gender dysphoria resolve themselves by puberty. Despite propaganda to the contrary, hormone therapy often causes irreversible damage, including infertility.
This ruling dishonors God. Jesus affirmed that from the beginning, God made human beings male and female (Matt. 19:4-5). Both the unique roles for the sexes (Gen. 2:18-25) and the gender-specific curses that followed humanity’s fall (Gen. 3:16-19) reflect God’s purposeful design for men and women. Rebelling against the gender of our birth is akin to mocking the image of God that is stamped on every human soul (Gen. 1:26-28). Gender dysphoria should be met with kind, gentle correction instead of affirmative psychotherapy.
Men dressed as women should not be allowed to participate in female sports. Affirming what God designates as sinful should never be our national agenda. Our daughters deserve better.
Dr Adam B. Dooley is pastor of Englewood Baptist Church in Jackson, TN, and author of Hope When Life Unravels. Contact him at adooley@ebcjackson.org. Follow him on Twitter @AdamBDooley.
