The Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) is the latest state sports organization to capitulate to President Donald Trump’s recent executive order preventing trans athletes from competing in girls’ sports.
The WIAA announced Wednesday an update to its policies that stated only athletes “designated as females at birth” would be allowed to compete in girls’ sports.
“Today the WIAA Board of Control voted to update the organization’s policy regarding student-athlete eligibility – affirming its compliance with federal directives that only students designated as females at birth will be allowed to participate in girls competitions,” WIAA executive director Stephanie Hauser said in a statement. “Working in consultation with legal counsel, our Board updated this policy to ensure clarity is provided to our membership as they work to comply with new federal guidance from the White House.”
Wisconsin’s new policy reflects that of the NCAA, as it still allows biological athletes to participate in girls’ practices, but not official competitions.
The state had allowed transgender athlete participation in girls’ sports since 2013.
Last April, Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers vetoed a bill that would have banned high school transgender athletes from competing on girls’ sports teams.
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Evers said in a press release when he vetoed that bill that he would veto any bill that “harms LGBTQ Wisconsinites’ and kids’ mental health.”
“I will veto any bill that makes Wisconsin a less safe, less inclusive, and less welcoming place for LGBTQ people and kids, and I will continue to keep my promise of using every power available to me to defend them, protect their rights, and keep them safe,” Evers said.
“States across this country may give way to radical policies targeting LGBTQ individuals and families and threatening LGBTQ folks’ everyday lives and their ability to be safe, valued, supported, and welcome being who they are. As long as I am the governor of this great state, Wisconsin will not be among them.”
However, now the state has fallen in line with 25 others that already have laws in place to prevent trans athletes in girls’ sports, and others that have updated their policies following Trump’s executive order.
Wisconsin voted for Trump in the 2016 and 2024 presidential elections, but has otherwise been known as a blue state in recent history. But now, Wisconsin is the latest state to agree to enforce Trump’s policy on protecting girls and women from trans inclusion in sports. Opposition to trans inclusion has become more of a bipartisan issue over the last year.
A recent New York Times/Ipsos survey found the vast majority of Americans, including a majority of Democrats, do not think transgender athletes should be permitted to compete in women’s sports. Of the 2,128 people polled, 79% said biological males who identify as women should not be allowed to participate in women’s sports.
Of the 1,025 people who identified as Democrats or leaning Democratic, 67% said transgender athletes should not be allowed to compete with women.
Still, some blue states have refused to comply with Trump’s executive order, and continue to allow trans athletes to compete with girls. California, Minnesota and Maine are among the most prominent states that have openly defied Trump on the issue.
But those states are at risk of losing federal funding, as per the policy of Trump’s order. California and Minnesota are also currently under investigation by the U.S. Department of Education for potential Title IX violations by going against Trump’s order as well.
Trump’s appointee for education secretary, Linda McMahon, made her stance clear on trans inclusion in women’s and girls’ sports during her confirmation hearing.
“I do not believe that biological boys should be able to compete against girls in sports, and I think now that certainly not only have the people spoken, because that was something that Trump ran very heavily on, but I believe the court has spoken,” McMahon said.
“We are really back to what Title IX was originally established to do and that was to protect social discrimination. Women should feel safe in their locker rooms. They should feel safe in their spaces. They shouldn’t have to be exposed to men undressing in front of them.”
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