The U.S. Department of Education has announced the formal rescission of the Biden administration’s 2024 Title IX rule, signaling a shift in policy regarding female sports. Education Secretary Linda McMahon highlighted that this move reaffirms the position that sports for girls and women should be reserved for females.
In an interview with OutKick, McMahon stated, “We’re just acknowledging that boys and men are in boys and men’s sports and girls are in theirs.” The decision reinstates the 2020 regulatory text in the Code of Federal Regulations, following court invalidation of the Biden rule. The department had previously signaled in January 2025 that it would enforce the first Trump administration’s regulations.
Secretary McMahon criticized California’s approach to trans athletes, urging Governor Newsom to “pick a side.”
McMahon clarified that this decision offers clearer guidelines for students, teachers, schools, and parents on the rules they need to follow. It eliminates any ambiguity left by the Biden administration’s regulations, ensuring adherence to the original intent of Title IX.
Schools will not face new obligations or deadlines. Instead, they must revert to the Trump-era rules without a specified compliance deadline. Title IX was originally designed to provide equal sports opportunities for women which, according to McMahon, were compromised under Biden’s regulations.
The previous administration expanded Title IX’s protections to include gender identity, proposing separate regulations for athletic team eligibility, which were later withdrawn.
McMahon pointed to President Donald Trump’s action, signing the “No Men in Women’s Sports” executive order with female athletes present, illustrating a commitment to maintaining sex-based eligibility in sports.
The Trump administration has actively pursued its Title IX interpretation through investigations, funding restrictions, and Department of Justice referrals. On April 4, 2025, the title IX Special Investigations Team was announced.
In legal actions, the federal government sued Maine due to its policy permitting trans-identifying males in girls’ sports. McMahon described the department’s approach to reimbursement requirements for funding recipients presenting high risk, ensuring proper use of funds.
Consequences may follow for states like Maine, California, and Minnesota for not complying with Title IX. Examples include the requirement of providing spending receipts to the department and referrals to the Justice Department.
McMahon addressed measures available for female athletes who lost records or titles, citing the University of Pennsylvania’s agreement with the department. This agreement reinstated titles to female athletes and issued apologies connected to Lia Thomas’ participation in women’s swimming.
While Penn’s agreement could serve as a model, each case will be considered individually. McMahon advised parents concerned about daughters competing against male athletes or sharing locker rooms to raise these issues with school officials and report them to federal authorities.
The Supreme Court has upheld laws in Idaho and West Virginia, restricting girls’ and women’s sports to females. McMahon emphasized the legal foundation of Title IX, asserting that it mandates sex-based eligibility for sports.
Title IX remains a key statute for safeguarding gender-based sports participation, and compliance with this law is essential.
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