The Independent Council on Women’s Sports (ICONS) has taken a stand against the Biden administration’s changes to Title IX, sending a letter to the United Nations highlighting concerns about male participation in female sports. The letter, obtained by the Washington Examiner, argues that allowing males to compete in women’s sports is a form of violence against women.
Title IX is a civil rights law that prohibits sex discrimination in federally funded educational institutions. The Biden administration’s new rules, set to take effect this fall, have sparked controversy and legal challenges from several states.
Reem Alsalem, the U.N. special rapporteur on violence against women and girls, was among the recipients of the brief from ICONS. She has criticized the new definition of “sex” in Title IX, warning that it could increase the vulnerability of women and girls to privacy violations and attacks.
ICONS co-founders Marshi Smith and Kim Jones expressed concern that the Biden administration’s changes to Title IX prioritize men over women, calling it a “blatant call to subjugate women and girls.”
Several states, including Tennessee and West Virginia, have filed a federal lawsuit seeking to overturn the new policy, arguing that it conflicts with their own laws regarding transgender students’ access to facilities like bathrooms and locker rooms.
The debate over transgender athletes’ participation in women’s sports has been ongoing, with the NCAA implementing a “sport-by-sport” model based on testosterone levels. However, ICONS argues that using testosterone levels as a single indicator is arbitrary and erases the distinction between men and women.
The Biden administration has promised further guidance on transgender athletes, but the controversy surrounding Title IX and women’s sports shows no signs of abating. Stay tuned for updates on this developing story.
