Defending And Protecting Women And Girls' Sports | Tommy Tuberville

Nov. 5, 2024, is the day the American people sent shockwaves to the swamp in D.C. when they overwhelmingly reelected Donald J. Trump as President of the United States. Seventy-seven million Americans voted for President Trump and his "America First" agenda. A critical part of the agenda includes prioritizing the safety of women and girls in sports and protecting their privacy in bathrooms and locker rooms.

Since the beginning of time, people have agreed that sex is assigned at birth and determined by God. But under the Biden administration, people were claiming that men can get pregnant. Pure insanity. Democrats weren’t content to just erase gender norms, they wanted to allow transgender men to participate in women’s and girls’ sports.

As a result, young women have been forced to compete against men – and even to share locker rooms with them. On top of that, American taxpayer dollars are paying for it. Under Joe Biden, 900 women’s medals went to men. That’s just wrong.

This one is personal for me. My first coaching job was in women’s basketball. Title IX was just starting to be implemented when I took that job. I saw firsthand the immediate difference it made. Back then, there were more than 10 times as many male athletes in college as female athletes. After Title IX that quickly changed.

For the first time, the young women I coached had equal access to facilities, resources, and competition. I saw these hardworking young women go on to earn college scholarships, start careers and become leaders in their communities. I’m deeply proud of them. Looking back, I wonder if they would have had the same opportunities without Title IX. This really shouldn’t be controversial. A recent poll from the New York Times showed 79% of Americans believe men should not compete against women in sports. The American people didn’t just reelect President Trump. They decisively rejected the ridiculous notion that men can get pregnant, and boys should compete against women in sports. And they certainly don’t want their tax dollars paying for it.

Recently, President Trump signed an Executive Order ending Democrats’ intentional destruction of Title IX. He is 100% committed to saving women’s sports. I’m very thankful for his leadership on this. The Executive Order makes sure women’s sports are protected for at least the next 4 years.

WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 05: U.S. President Donald Trump joined by women athletes signs the "No Men in Women’s Sports" executive order in the East Room at the White House on February 5, 2025 in Washington, DC. The executive order, which Trump signed on National Girls and Women in Sports Day, prohibits transgender women from competing in women’s sports and is the third order he has signed that targets transgender people. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

But unfortunately, Executive Orders can be reversed. Congress needs to act on this to make sure the next Democrat administration can’t take the same steps to destroy Title IX that the Biden administration took. I introduced a bill, the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, that would make President Trump’s Executive Order permanent. My bill prevents a school from receiving federal funding if it lets boys compete in women’s sports. It also defines gender as male and female for this purpose.

My bill already passed the House on a bipartisan basis. I’m grateful that 38 of my colleagues, along with every member of Senate Republican Leadership, have cosponsored this important legislation.

We have a lot to accomplish in the first 100 days of the Trump administration, and my bill should be a part of it. Leader John Thune has assured me he will bring it up for a vote in the Senate soon.

This isn’t about politics. This is about right and wrong. I’m excited to welcome my first granddaughter, Rosie Grace, in a few weeks. Let me tell you – I would raise hell if she was forced to share a locker room or compete against a male.

To my Senate colleagues who are on the fence about this, I would ask: Would you want your daughters or granddaughters competing against men or boys? Would you feel comfortable with them sharing a locker room with a biological male?

The American people have delivered a verdict: they want men out of women’s sports and women’s locker rooms. The time to act is now! It’s time to vote on my bill to restore Title IX protections and save women’s sports.

Tommy Tuberville is the senior United States senator from Alabama, a seat he has held since 2021. Before entering politics, Tuberville was an award-winning college football coach. He led Ole Miss (1995-98), Auburn (1999-2008), Texas Tech (2010-12) and Cincinnati (2013-16).