NAIA bans all transgender women from women’s sports

The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics voted Monday to ban transgender women from women’s competitions starting next school year, spurring concerns among transgender-rights advocates that the NCAA may follow suit.

At the NAIA’s national convention, the Council of Presidents determined that beginning Aug. 1, “only students whose biological sex is female” may compete in women’s sports. That includes transgender men or nonbinary students who are not receiving masculinizing hormones.

“We are unwavering in our support of fair competition for our student-athletes,” NAIA President and CEO Jim Carr said in a news release. “It is crucial that NAIA member institutions, conferences, and student-athletes participate in an environment that is equitable and respectful. With input from our member institutions and the Transgender Task Force, the NAIA’s Council of Presidents has confirmed our path forward.”