Secretary of Education Linda McMahon addressed a crowd outside the Supreme Court as justices heard arguments in two high-profile Title IX cases. The cases, Little v. Hecox and State of West Virginia v. B.P.J., center on whether federal law requires schools to allow transgender girls to compete in girls’ sports.
McMahon began her remarks by acknowledging the attorneys from Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), who are representing parties in the cases. "Just up those steps, attorneys from the Alliance Defending Freedom are presenting oral arguments—living up to ADF’s name—in defense of freedom," she said.
She argued that women continue to face challenges regarding equal opportunity in athletics. "How tragic that women are still fighting for their right to have equal access and equal opportunity in athletics programs," McMahon stated.
McMahon credited ADF with fighting for liberty and equal treatment under the law for over thirty years. She expressed concern about recent changes to Title IX enforcement, referencing actions taken by both the Trump and Biden administrations. "In 2020, President Trump’s Department of Education continued that fight and made it clear that Title IX, which protects against discrimination on the basis of sex in education, is rooted in biological reality," she said.
"But everything changed when the Biden Administration made the decision to indulge in a false worldview that undermines women’s rights and puts girls in danger," McMahon continued. She claimed these policy shifts led institutions to change policies around athletic competition and facilities access, resulting in what she described as negative consequences for female students.
Citing specific examples, McMahon mentioned athletes such as Payton McNabb and Paula Scanlan, as well as legal developments like Idaho's Fairness in Women’s Sports Act and litigation involving West Virginia student athletes.
She emphasized her department's efforts during her tenure: "When President Trump nominated me as Secretary of Education, I made restoring Title IX one of my top priorities. We set the record straight on Title IX with a Dear Colleague Letter reiterating what federal courts had already ruled: that the Biden Administration’s damaging Title IX re-write no longer applies, and enforcement must be based on biological reality."
McMahon also described initiatives undertaken by her office: "Amid a staggering increase of Title IX complaints, we partnered with the Department of Justice to create the Title IX Special Investigations Team. This has streamlined our investigations and expedited enforcement." She referenced settlements reached with several universities—including an agreement with University of Pennsylvania—which required changes to athletic participation policies and apologies issued to affected female athletes.
She concluded by thanking members of the administration involved in these efforts: "I would like to thank everyone in the Administration who has fought for common sense– especially Attorney General Bondi, whose strong support and vigorous enforcement of Title IX has restored fairness and justice to women and girls across our nation."
"As we await the Supreme Court’s rulings in Little v. Hecox and State of West Virginia v. B.P.J., we remain steadfast in enforcing Title IX as it was intended, rooted in biological reality to ensure fairness, safety, and equal access to education programs for women and girls across our nation," McMahon said.
"As President Trump has made clear, America is in its Golden Age, one where female students and athletes have equal access to fair and safe competitions and female-only intimate spaces, free from divisive and discriminatory ideologies."
