NCAA Responds to Trump’s Executive Order to Protect Female Athletes

On Wednesday, which happens to be National Girls & Women in Sports Day, President Trump signed the “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports” executive order, which is designed to “protect opportunities for women and girls to compete in safe and fair sports.”

The executive order establishes that it is the policy of the United States to “rescind all funds from educational programs that deprive women and girls of fair athletic opportunities, which results in the endangerment, humiliation, and silencing of women and girls and deprives them of privacy,” and to “oppose male competitive participation in women’s sports more broadly, as a matter of safety, fairness, dignity, and truth.”

In short, biological men can’t compete in women’s sports.

The NCAA responded Wednesday night to President Donald Trump’s executive order barring biological men from competing in women’s sports. NCAA President Charlie Baker acknowledged the order in a statement, calling it a “clear, national standard.”

The NCAA has faced intense backlash for allowing biological males to compete in women’s sports, with the most infamous case being Will “Lia” Thomas. During the 2021-2022 season, Thomas dominated NCAA women’s swimming, sparking national outrage. After years of mediocrity on the men’s team, Thomas declared a transgender identity, switched to the women’s division, and began shattering records—at the expense of female athletes. But stealing titles and opportunities wasn’t enough. Thomas also disrespected his teammates by exposing his male genitalia in the women’s locker room, further highlighting the absurdity of the NCAA’s policies.

"The NCAA is an organization made up of 1,100 colleges and universities in all 50 states that collectively enroll more than 530,000 student-athletes," Baker’s statement said. "We strongly believe that clear, consistent and uniform eligibility standards would best serve today's student-athletes instead of a patchwork of conflicting state laws and court decisions. To that end, President Trump's order provides a clear, national standard.”

"The NCAA Board of Governors is reviewing the executive order and will take necessary steps to align NCAA policy in the coming days, subject to further guidance from the administration,” the statement continued. “The Association will continue to help foster welcoming environments on campuses for all student-athletes. We stand ready to assist schools as they look for ways to support any student-athletes affected by changes in the policy."

I guess that sounds promising.

For years, the NCAA has not only allowed men to compete in women’s sports but has actively enabled them to rob female athletes of titles, records, and opportunities. At the 2022 NCAA Women’s Championships, Riley Gaines tied with Will “Lia” Thomas in the 200 freestyle final—yet officials handed the trophy to Thomas, a biological male, while Gaines was left empty-handed. This wasn’t an isolated incident and wasn't limited to colleges, either. Across high school and college athletics, male athletes who struggled in men’s competitions have switched to the girls’ division, dominating events and stealing scholarships, championships, and dreams from hardworking young women who have dedicated their lives to their sport.

Frankly, every record and trophy claimed by male athletes in women’s sports should be revoked, as well.