President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Wednesday that prohibits transgender women and girls from playing in “female sports” categories. The order went into effect immediately and applies to all schools and athletic associations that receive federal funding.
The executive order goes hand-in-hand with the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2025, passed by the House of Representatives in January. This act states that, for the purposes of Title IX, sex is recognized solely on a person’s biological sex.
What it means
Under the Biden administration, Title IX allowed transgender students to join teams and use facilities that aligned with their gender identity. With this new executive order, students who were assigned male at birth will not be allowed to play for female sports teams or use female facilities, like locker rooms or restrooms.
The Education Department is authorized to penalize schools that do not comply with the order. The department will investigate any violations, and if it finds a school to be non-compliant, it could deem the school ineligible for federal funding.
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Put more simply, students assigned male at birth will not be able to play for any female team, regardless of their gender identity. However, they will be able to participate in male teams.
There was no mention of transgender men — people who were assigned female at birth but identify as male — in the executive order. Its only stated purpose was to keep men out of women’s sports.
Who it could affect
This order will impact a range of people. Most student-athletes, including high school and college students, will fall under the order. Any establishment that receives federal funding is affected by this bill. That includes the NCAA, whose president, Charlie Baker, released a statement on the executive order Wednesday afternoon.
Baker said that clear eligibility standards improve the association and that “President Trump’s order provides a clear, national standard.”
He also said the NCAA will review the order and take necessary steps to comply. It will assist any school in supporting student-athletes affected by the change.
According to multiple news sources, Baker told a Senate panel last year that there are fewer than 10 known transgender athletes across all NCAA sports. Those students are among those affected by the order.
Olympians could also be affected by the executive order. According to sources, Trump warned the International Olympic Committee that the order would be enforced for the Olympics. Los Angeles will host the games in 2028.
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