Katherine Acosta, sociologist and feminist writer, and Max Dashu, lesbian feminist historian, join Bess to discuss the Department of Education's (DOE) proposed changes to the Title IX regulation allowing sex-segregated sports teams.
You may submit a public comment on the proposed changes until May 15, 2023.
- The Department recognizes that prevention of sports-related injury is an important educational objective in recipients' athletic programs and that—as courts have long recognized in cases involving sex-separate athletic teams—fairness in competition may be particularly important for recipients in some sports, grade and education levels, and levels of competition. citation
- DOE's directed questions
- The DOE also asks if the proposed regulation is clear enough?
An example of feminist arguments for comment is published here on Katherine's blog:
- Female athletes may be harmed when gender identity is the overriding criteria and recipients must minimize harm to female athletes.
- To minimize the foreseeable harms of inevitable litigation, the Department should specify which forms of proof or evidence recipients may require.
- Finally, the Department should recommend that recipients may [designate] one category as “open” with no sex-related proof of eligibility requirements and also maintain[] a second “female” category with sex-related female proof of eligibility other than gender identity.
Reference links and estimated time stamps
~10:35 Males have larger hearts than females; males have 10-12% greater lung capacity
~14:20 Sports participants achieve leadership roles
~14:50 Hannah Arensman retires after losing to two male racers
~17:05 Comparing male versus female athletic results
~25:50 Iszac Henig, female swimmer on male team
~26:40 Biden's Executive Order 13988
~34:40 Republicans are ready for litigation!
~40:10 Pre-pubertal children may also experience sex differences in physical capacity