To leftists, the Biden administration's Title IX change to allow males in female sports was about inclusivity. But athletes and activists argued that competing with and against males and being forced to share private spaces with them was a violation of females' Title IX rights.
Though Biden's Department of Education quietly withdrew the rule change on Christmas Eve, it will continue to be an issue in 2025 as a district court in Connecticut will hear arguments over a state athletic association policy allowing males in female sports.
Female track athletes are suing over this policy and have long fought to get it in court.
"We are very excited that we recently had a victory at the district court level, where the district court ruled to allow the case of four female athletes who are challenging a state athletic association policy to proceed," says attorney Rachel Rouleau of Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), the law firm representing the female athletes.
She says the case went up to the 2nd Circuit, which had previously said the case should be heard on its merits and the girls should have their day in court. State officials tried to dismiss the case again, but the district court ruled that it should proceed.
February 2025 will mark the five-year anniversary on this case. The athletes, Selina Soule, Chelsea Mitchell, Alanna Smith, and Ashly Nicoletti, have all graduated, but Rouleau says the 2nd Circuit recognizes that does not matter.
"These girls lost opportunities to compete in high school," the attorney points out. "For four years, all four of our athletes … had to compete against males."
Because that policy is still in place, males are still competing in women's sports in Connecticut, which means the women can still advocate for female athletes there.
