University of Pennsylvania Blocks Transgender Athletes from Women’s Sports
Agreement follows federal investigation sparked by swimmer Lia Thomas.
The University of Pennsylvania is now barring transgender athletes from competing on women’s teams after an agreement with the U.S. Department of Education. The decision comes amid a larger debate regarding the inclusion of transgender women in sports, particularly in light of swimmer Lia Thomas‘s participation.
Terms of the Agreement
The Department of Education’s announcement stated the Ivy League institution must offer an apology and reinstate records and titles to female athletes that “male athletes misappropriated”. The university plans to revise records from the 2021–22 season, clarifying record holders under current rules, while not explicitly stating whether Thomas’s records will be erased.
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“Today’s resolution agreement with UPenn is yet another example of the Trump effect in action.”
—Linda McMahon, U.S. Education Secretary
Currently, 21 states have enacted laws restricting transgender athletes’ participation in sports, demonstrating a continuing trend toward defining gender in sports (NCSL 2024).
Historical Context and Controversy
The situation unfolded in the wake of President Donald Trump’s executive order targeting transgender women in sports. The Education Department opened investigations into the university under Title IX for potential violations of the civil rights law that prohibits sex-based discrimination in educational programs that receive federal funding.
The university, while stating it followed NCAA criteria at the time, acknowledges that some athletes were disadvantaged by prior rules. Lia Thomas competed on the men’s team for three seasons before hormone replacement therapy, and her achievements led to controversy upon her entry into women’s competitions.
Thomas became the first transgender athlete to win the highest U.S. national college title in March 2022, and has since graduated. She has also noted the transgender population of college athletes is “very small”. The NCAA has said it amounted to about 10 athletes.
The Human Rights Campaign has criticized the agreement, arguing that the administration is focused on making life more challenging for young people rather than supporting them. Lia Thomas, last year, took legal action to compete again in elite women’s sports, which was rejected.
