The NCAA is “facing mounting pressure to take action” on the role of transgender athletes in college sports, according to Kliegman & Dougherty of the WASHINGTON POST. Queer-sports advocacy group Athlete Ally yesterday sent letters “signed by hundreds of transgender-rights advocates” to NCAA President Charlie Baker and the Board of Governors, “urging the organization to continue allowing transgender athletes a place in women’s sports.” Current rules allow transgender athletes, including women, to compete, “so long as they adhere to the guidelines stipulated by their international sport governing bodies.” Earlier this month, the NAIA voted to bar all transgender women from women’s sports, regardless of whether athletes have received gender-affirming hormone treatment. Kliegman & Dougherty noted the end of April and beginning of May is “typically a key rules-making period” for the NCAA. The BOG will meet virtually Thursday. At the same time, at its headquarters in Indianapolis, the NCAA will be holding its annual Inclusion Forum. It is “unclear” how much the board will discuss potential changes to the transgender-athlete policy. Anti-transgender activists are “making a similar push, calling on the NCAA to adopt restrictions similar to the NAIA’s” (WASHINGTON POST, 4/23).
