US to forbid schools, colleges to ban trans athletes but allow exceptions

Schools and colleges across the US would be forbidden from enacting outright bans on transgender athletes under a proposal released Thursday from the Biden administration, but teams could create some limits in certain cases for example, to ensure fairness.

The proposed rule sends a political counterpunch toward a wave of Republican-led states that have sought to ban trans athletes from competing in school sports that align with their gender identities.

If finalised, the proposal would become enshrined as a provision of Title IX, the landmark gender equity legislation enacted in 1972.

It must undergo a lengthy approval process, however, and it's almost certain to face challenges from opponents.

The proposal comes on the same day that the Supreme Court said a 12-year-old transgender girl in West Virginia can continue competing on her middle school track and cross-country teams while legal battles over the state's transgender law continue. The law bans transgender athletes from femal