The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics made an announcement on Monday, stating that transgender women will not be allowed to participate in women’s sports during their sanctioned events.
According to the policy stated on the NAIA’s website, only NAIA student-athletes who are biologically female are allowed to participate in NAIA-sponsored female sports. Additionally, the policy specifies that women who have started hormone therapy are not eligible to participate in women’s sports.
The policy stated that it would undergo a review in light of any legal, scientific, or medical developments.
Men’s sports are open to all athletes.
During its annual meeting in Missouri, the NAIA Council of Presidents unanimously approved the policy, as reported by The Associated Press.
The NAIA boasts a membership of 240 colleges and holds the distinction of producing NBA Hall of Famers, including Scottie Pippen, who honed his skills at Central Arkansas, and Dennis Rodman, who made his mark at Southeastern Oklahoma State.
“The NAIA has made history by becoming the first national college governing body to enforce a policy requiring athletes to compete according to their biological sex,” stated Riley Gaines in an article on X. Gaines, who had personally experienced competing against transgender swimmer Lia Thomas while attending the University of Kentucky, has since become a vocal supporter of single-sex sports. Thomas had been a member of the University of Pennsylvania team at the time.”
Former Fox News commentator Megyn Kelly expressed her excitement and anticipation for the next move from the NCAA with a tweet that said, “Yes!! @NCAA – your move.”
The decision received criticism from the Human Rights Campaign.
Kelley Robinson, president of the Human Rights Campaign, expressed her strong disapproval of the NAIA’s decision to exclude transgender athletes from competition. She criticized the decision as a result of a right-wing outrage campaign that deliberately misrepresents and distorts the experiences of transgender athletes, without providing any actual support for women’s sports. In a press release, Robinson emphasized the alarming message that this decision sends to other governing bodies and youth sports leagues nationwide, and called for it to be halted immediately.