Josh Hawley Confronts NCAA President Over Trans Athletes Playing Sports
Josh Hawley got into a heated exchange with National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) President Charlie Baker about transgender athletes competing in sports on Tuesday during a hearing in Washington on the impact of legalized sports gambling.Transgender rights have become a lightning rod for Republicans in recent months as GOP lawmakers double down on their push to ban transgender athletes from participating in some sports, and from accessing restrooms and changing rooms that correspond with their gender identity.When it was Hawley's turn to question Baker on Tuesday, he grilled the NCAA president about whether "biological men" should be allowed to play in women's sports."Did you say the federal law requires the NCAA to permit biological men to play in women's sports?" Hawley asked."No, I said there have been five cases in federal court in the past 18 months" and "in all five of them, federal judges sided with participation," Baker said."You're affirmatively permitting biological men in women's sports, but you said to him it's because of federal law," Hawley said, referring to Baker's response to a question on the issue from Republican Senator John Kennedy. "There's no federal law that requires it, right?
The relevant federal law is Title IX, is it not?"Title IX is a landmark federal civil rights statute that protects students from sexual harassment and discrimination on the basis of sex."Guidance on this issue from Title IX, or guidance with respect to discrimination law would be—" Baker began, before Hawley cut him off."Title IX is already the law," the Missouri senator said. "Title IX says—""Federal judges have ruled on this—" Baker said.
He broke out laughing when Hawley interrupted him again."Let's just dispense with that canard," the Republican senator said.
