The Biden administration proposed new regulations addressing the participation of transgender athletes in sports.
Senior writer at Slate Mark Joseph Stern posted an excerpt from a Washington Post article, saying, “The Biden administration on Thursday proposed new regulations that would allow schools to bar transgender athletes from participating in competitive high school and college sports, but disallow blanket bans on the athletes that have been approved across the country.”
Stern commented, “To put it mildly, this is extraordinarily disappointing and a total reversal from a position the Biden administration has taken since Day One. Wow.”
To put it mildly, this is extraordinarily disappointing and a total reversal from a position the Biden administration has taken since Day One. Wow. https://t.co/L5mQ0t98CD pic.twitter.com/9c1lVbOoNx
— Mark Joseph Stern (@mjs_DC) April 6, 2023
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) reacted, saying, “Absolutely no reason for the Biden admin to do this. It is indefensible and embarrassing. The admin can still walk this back, and they should. It’s a disgrace.”
Absolutely no reason for the Biden admin to do this. It is indefensible and embarrassing.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) April 6, 2023
The admin can still walk this back, and they should. It’s a disgrace https://t.co/3aUR0dnS5Q
Filmmaker Siddhant Adlakha tweeted, “Cruel and cowardly doesn’t even begin to describe this. Compromising with fascist legislation and genocidal rhetoric doesn’t make you tactful. It makes you a fascist.”
Cruel and cowardly doesn’t even begin to describe this. Compromising with fascist legislation and genocidal rhetoric doesn’t make you tactful. It makes you a fascist. https://t.co/3mBYagNbKx
— Siddhant Adlakha (@SiddhantAdlakha) April 6, 2023
Author Peter Daou called the move “APPALLING,” adding, “Joe Biden has NEVER been progressive, or a friend to progressives. He is 100% a product of the corrupt DC establishment, and one of its biggest protectors.”
APPALLING
— Peter Daou (@peterdaou) April 6, 2023
Joe Biden has NEVER been progressive, or a friend to progressives.
He is 100% a product of the corrupt DC establishment, and one of its biggest protectors.
I've known #MarianneWilliamson for years. She's principled, thoughtful, and compassionate. A far better choice. https://t.co/Q7pW2biQK5
Check out more reactions below:
This is heartbreaking and disheartening. I’m so angry. https://t.co/BwivFLOgg9
— Yuh-Line Niou (@yuhline) April 7, 2023
https://twitter.com/sivavaid/status/1644136846966902785
https://twitter.com/millbot/status/1644098396074983427
super cowardly of the biden administration to say allowing schools to bar transgender athletes from playing is "a compromise" when really it's a complete capitulation to irrational rightwing fearmongering. https://t.co/ZJgvqtUAqj
— brandon sheffield / @brandon.insertcredit.com bsky (@necrosofty) April 6, 2023
“There is no room for compromise when it comes to basic human rights” until there…is. https://t.co/v8C3EqmKwo pic.twitter.com/8j8iaWVsWt
— Tom Winter (@WinterForMT) April 7, 2023
someone the other day got really mad at me for saying that democrats are largely conservative to lukewarm about queer rights and I like that it took like two days to be proven correct https://t.co/q1h6BX1epe
— chris person (@Papapishu) April 6, 2023
Sasha Buchert, director of Lambda Legal’s Nonbinary and Transgender Rights Project, issued a statement to the Post commenting on the proposal.
“We are concerned about whether the proposed rule can properly eliminate the discrimination that transgender students experience due to the pervasive bias and ignorance about who they are,” Buchert said.
The Associated Press noted at least 16 states have bans affecting high school interscholastic sports.
There are some that affect intramural, club or college sports, per the outlet.
“Every student should be able to have the full experience of attending school in America, including participating in athletics, free from discrimination,” Miguel Cardona, Biden’s education secretary, said in a statement.