The Trump administration’s Department of Justice has filed a lawsuit against the state of California, accusing its leadership of violating Title IX protections for women and girls by allowing biological males to compete in female sports divisions. The action stems from California’s refusal to comply with a resolution agreement proposed by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights.
“Title IX was enacted over half a century ago to protect women and girls from discrimination,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon. “The Justice Department will not stand for policies that deprive girls of their hard-earned athletic trophies and ignore their safety on the field and in private spaces.”
The legal battle follows an extensive federal investigation that concluded California was in clear violation of Title IX. The Office for Civil Rights had issued a proposed resolution agreement, offering California’s Department of Education and the California Interscholastic Federation ten days to come into compliance or face enforcement action. Both agencies refused to sign the agreement.
Education Secretary Linda McMahon explained the escalation in remarks made to Fox News’ Dana Perino. “We told Governor Newsom that we’d be investigating these violations. We found California to be in violation of Title IX; we turned it over to the Justice Department, and they announced this morning that they were filing suit.”
The DOJ highlighted the broader implications of these policies, arguing they create hostile educational environments by requiring female students to share locker rooms and other private spaces with biological males. “These policies don’t just eviscerate athletic opportunities for girls,” said one DOJ official, “they also force girls into intimate spaces with boys, which denies them full educational access.”
Governor Gavin Newsom, who has historically supported progressive gender policies, added a layer of complexity in March when he publicly acknowledged the fairness concerns. Speaking on his own podcast, Newsom stated, “It’s an issue of fairness. I completely agree with you on that… It’s deeply unfair.” The DOJ’s legal filing reportedly referenced Newsom’s comments as further evidence of the inherent problems in the state’s stance.
The lawsuit signals a firm stance from the Trump administration in defense of Title IX as originally intended. Officials have framed the move as part of a broader commitment to preserving equal opportunities for women and girls in educational settings, in line with the administration’s stated agenda. “This is something President Trump campaigned on,” McMahon said. “It is the law. The president means business with it.”
The broader message to states is clear: compliance with federal civil rights laws is not optional. When states ignore foundational legal protections for women, the consequences go beyond policy debates. They become matters of justice, fairness, and the long-term integrity of equal opportunity in education.
