A 2023 Idaho law restricting bathroom and locker room access for transgender students has now been permanently enacted statewide following the dismissal of a federal lawsuit. The lawsuit, filed by the Sexuality and Gender Alliance and other plaintiffs, argued the legislation violated equal protection and Title IX protections. The dismissal was agreed upon by both parties due to the graduation of one plaintiff and the tragic death by suicide of another, identified in court as Jane Doe, a transgender student who had expressed significant fear regarding the law’s impact. The law, effective May 2025, prohibits students from using facilities inconsistent with their sex assigned at birth and allows for legal action against schools if a transgender student is encountered in a public restroom or changing facility. This development comes as Idaho also enacted a separate, more stringent law criminalizing transgender individuals for using public accommodations matching their gender identity.
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The US Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights is investigating Smith College, a prominent women’s college, regarding its admission of transgender women. This action, prompted by a complaint from a right-wing education group, centers on whether the college’s policy violates Title IX, which prohibits sex-based discrimination in education. The department asserts that admitting transgender women means the institution no longer qualifies as single-sex, raising concerns about privacy and fairness in spaces designated for women. Smith College maintains its commitment to institutional values and compliance with civil rights laws, while the investigation occurs amidst broader Trump administration efforts to restrict transgender participation in public life.
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A federal appeals court in Minnesota has ruled in favor of trans athletes, upholding a bylaw that allows students to participate in sports consistent with their gender identity. The court determined that the group challenging the bylaw failed to demonstrate a private right of action, meaning they could not prove their rights were violated. Furthermore, the ruling clarified that executive orders, such as those issued by Donald Trump, do not constitute settled law and cannot independently establish violations of Title IX. The court acknowledged that the application of Title IX to transgender athletes remains an open legal question, likely to be addressed by the Supreme Court.
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Following a federal investigation into a transgender volleyball player, the U.S. Department of Education has ordered San José State University to comply with Title IX regulations within 10 days. The university is required to issue a public statement affirming biology-based definitions of sex and separating sports and facilities based on biological sex. The university must also restore athletic records, issue apologies to affected female athletes, and acknowledge the harm caused by allowing a male athlete to compete in women’s volleyball. Failure to comply could result in enforcement action, including a Justice Department lawsuit and loss of federal funding.
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The U.S. Department of Education is investigating multiple school districts, including one in Maine, regarding complaints about transgender students. The investigations, stemming from alleged violations of the administration’s interpretation of Title IX, focus on policies allowing transgender girls to participate in girls’ athletics. In Maine, the investigation of Regional School Unit 19 concerns a complaint that the district allowed a male student to join a co-ed cheerleading squad and use female facilities. This investigation follows the president’s rescinding of a prior interpretation of Title IX and the state’s opposing stance, including a lawsuit against the Department of Education.
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A Maine school board meeting devolved into chaos when a MAGA activist, leading a protest against transgender rights, delivered an angry speech as two women stripped in public. The protest, which was against the board’s upholding of the state’s Title IX interpretation allowing trans student-athletes to participate in school sports, followed a debate on defying state law. This incident mirrored a growing trend among anti-trans activists who are protesting trans-inclusive policies. This included similar stunts in other states.
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The U.S. Education Department has declared that Denver Public Schools breached Title IX regulations by establishing all-gender bathrooms and allowing students to use bathrooms aligned with their gender identity, a decision that stems from an investigation at East High School. As a result, the department is demanding the district revert multi-stall, all-gender restrooms back to gender-specific ones, within 10 days or face enforcement actions, along with using biology-based definitions for gender in its policies. This probe is part of the Trump administration’s broader push against policies accommodating transgender students, with numerous similar investigations targeting school districts nationwide regarding bathroom access and sports participation. Denver Public Schools officials are currently assessing their next steps in response to the department’s findings.
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The University of Pennsylvania has agreed to a settlement with the Department of Education that will prevent transgender athletes from competing on female sports teams. As part of the agreement, the university will erase the records of Lia Thomas, a transgender woman, who previously competed for UPenn. The Department of Education found the university violated Title IX, which prohibits sex-based discrimination, by allowing male athletes to compete in women’s sports. UPenn will be updating its women’s swimming records to reflect current eligibility guidelines.
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A Villanova student who was sexually assaulted in 2022 is demanding that Juan Eguiguren, who videotaped the assault, be barred from participating in graduation ceremonies. Eguiguren’s attorney cites an information resolution agreement reached between the victim and Eguiguren as preventing further action, but the victim’s attorney argues this agreement was signed under duress and doesn’t preclude Villanova from taking disciplinary action. The victim’s attorney contends that allowing Eguiguren to graduate would be a profound moral failing and further victimize the survivor. Villanova University has yet to publicly respond.
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Facing a Trump-era Title IX violation for allowing transgender athletes in girls’ sports, Maine’s Department of Education, Maine Principals’ Association, and Greely High School refused a federal compliance agreement. These entities cite the Maine Human Rights Act, which prohibits gender identity discrimination, as the reason for non-compliance. Refusal to sign the agreement risks referral to the U.S. Department of Justice. The Maine Attorney General’s office, representing the Department of Education, has yet to comment on their decision.
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John Q. Hosedrinker