California Defies Trump's Executive Order on Trans Athletes in Women's Sports

Fox News legal editor Kerri Urbahn recently discussed a Department of Justice memo stating that FBI agents who 'followed orders' won't be fired, alongside President Donald Trump's executive order prohibiting men from competing in women's sports.

The State of California and its public school athletics association have declared they will not adhere to Trump's latest order aimed at excluding trans athletes from girls' and women's sports. The California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) has expressed its commitment to follow state law, which permits athletes to participate according to their gender identity, as reported by The San Francisco Chronicle.

Sophia Lorey, Outreach Director of the California Family Council, expressed her disgust regarding the CIF's decision to ignore Trump's executive order. "I am disgusted that CIF is disregarding yesterday's executive order and instead doubling down on policies that are not only unfair, but dangerous for young women across California," Lorey stated. She emphasized that prioritizing transgender ideology over the safety of female athletes exposes high school girls to unsafe competition and undermines opportunities guaranteed to them under Title IX.

Lorey added, "One day, the CIF board will look back and realize they chose to be on the wrong side of history. They will have to answer for why they sacrificed the safety, fairness, and dignity of young girls to bow to an ideological agenda. But the rest of us will not stand by while female athletes are illegally prevented from competing fairly in their own sports."

In response to Trump's order, the NCAA announced that it has revised its policy on gender eligibility, preventing biological males from competing in the women's category. However, at the youth and high school level, girls are still subject to state law.

California law, known as AB 1266, has been in effect since 2014 and grants students the right to participate in sex-segregated programs and activities according to their gender identity, regardless of the gender recorded. California Code of Regulations section 4910(k) defines gender inclusively, covering a person's perceived identity, appearance, or behavior.

The CIF Bylaw 300.D. aligns with the Education Code, ensuring that all students have the opportunity to engage in CIF activities consistent with their gender identity.

These laws have led to several controversies in California over the past year, including a contentious debate at Martin Luther King High School in Riverside, where parents criticized the school board for allowing a trans athlete on the girls' cross-country team. A lawsuit by two girls on the team claims their protest T-shirts were unfairly likened to swastikas simply for stating "Save Girls Sports."

A father of a girl displaced by a trans athlete reported that school administrators conveyed that "transgenders have more rights than cisgender[s]" when the issue was raised. Additionally, Stone Ridge Christian High School forfeited a match prior to facing San Francisco Waldorf, citing a trans athlete's presence on the opposing team.

On Jan. 7, California State Assembly member Kate Sanchez announced plans to introduce legislation to ban trans athletes from competing in girls' and women's sports. Her proposed Protect Girls' Sports Act aligns with laws already effective in 25 states. Sanchez expressed concern that young women, who have dedicated years to training, are now competing against individuals with biological advantages, deeming the situation both unfair and dangerous.