Tiffany Justice, co-founder of Moms for Liberty, highlights the concerns raised by parent groups over recent Title IX changes made by the Biden administration. The changes redefine sex and expand the definition of sex discrimination to include gender identity. Over 20 red states have filed lawsuits in response to these modifications.
The Biden administration's recent Title IX revisions have sparked fierce opposition from parent groups and conservative lawmakers. The changes redefine sex and expand the definition of sex discrimination to include gender identity, prompting a legal backlash from more than 20 red states.
Moms for Liberty, a conservative parent organization co-founded by Tiffany Justice, has been at the forefront of the resistance. Justice warns that the changes gut parental rights and put children at risk. She argues that allowing transgender students in locker rooms and bathrooms that contradict their biological sex compromises safety and privacy.
"The interpretation of the Biden administration is completely inconsistent with the statute and the way it’s been interpreted for decades," said Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin at a news conference announcing the state's lawsuit against the Education Department. "We have seen this coming for a while, and we are considering what options we have to stop this rule."
Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey echoed these concerns, stating that the Biden administration is "perverting the law" and prioritizing "radical transgender ideology over the safety of women and girls."
Several other states have joined the legal battle, including Ohio, Kentucky, Virginia, Georgia, Texas, Alabama, Mississippi, Florida, Montana, Tennessee, West Virginia, Louisiana, Indiana, South Carolina, and Idaho. They argue that the changes violate the law and the U.S. Constitution.
"We will not comply, and we will fight back," said Florida Governor Ron DeSantis in a video statement. "Florida rejects Joe Biden’s attempt to rewrite Title IX."
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has also announced his state will not implement the changes. He argues that Title IX was intended to support women academically and athletically, and that Biden's revisions undermine this purpose.
Conservative lawmakers have also raised concerns about the potential consequences of the changes. Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti believes that disregarding the legal process by refusing to comply with the revisions undermines the rule of law.
"I don't think it's ever a good idea to skip the legal process," Skrmetti told Fox News Digital. "It's important to utilize the courts to fight back against these changes."
The new rules revised the ways in which sexual harassment and assault claims are adjudicated on campus. They prohibit schools from separating people based on their biological sex, except in limited circumstances.
LGBTQ+ students who face discrimination under the new standards will be entitled to a response from their school under Title IX, and those failed by their schools can seek recourse from the federal government.
However, the new rule does not include an explicit policy forbidding schools from enacting outright bans on transgender athletes competing against biological females. This omission has drawn criticism from those who believe it will allow transgender athletes to compete in women's sports, potentially creating an unfair advantage.
The debate over Title IX is likely to continue as the legal challenges to the Biden administration's changes progress through the courts. Parent groups and conservative lawmakers remain steadfast in their opposition, arguing that the changes undermine parental rights and threaten the safety and privacy of students.
