A federal judge in Kentucky has nullified the Biden administration’s Title IX regulations that extended protections to LGBTQ+ students. The sweeping decision by U.S. District Judge Danny C. Reeves found that the 1,500-page rule exceeded presidential authority and violated constitutional rights. The ruling follows prior legal challenges that had already halted the policy in 26 states.
The regulations, finalized last year, redefined Title IX, a 1972 law prohibiting sex-based discrimination in education, to include protections based on gender identity and sexual orientation. The changes also broadened the definition of harassment, sparking heated debate. Conservatives argued the rules endangered the privacy and rights of women and girls, while civil rights advocates claimed they were essential for protecting LGBTQ+ students from discrimination.
Reeves’ decision stems from a lawsuit brought by six Republican-led states: Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Virginia, and West Virginia. Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti praised the ruling, calling it a “victory for the protection of girls’ privacy” and free speech rights.
Reeves determined the Education Department overreached by expanding the scope of Title IX beyond its original intent. He stated the law, as written in 1972, did not support the administration’s broader interpretation. The ruling also found that requiring educators to use pronouns aligned with a student’s gender identity infringed on First Amendment rights. Reeves wrote that the government cannot compel speech or force individuals to affirm beliefs they do not share.
Rather than amending portions of the regulation, Reeves struck down the entire policy, reinstating the previous interpretation of Title IX. The decision restores the framework that had governed for over five decades prior to the Biden administration’s revisions.
The Biden administration’s changes to Title IX had drawn criticism for potentially allowing biological males identifying as transgender to participate in women’s sports and share private spaces like locker rooms. While the regulation did not explicitly address athletics, critics warned of its broader implications. A separate proposal on transgender athletes was later shelved.
Former Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, a vocal opponent of the rule, celebrated the decision. On X (formerly Twitter), DeVos called the regulation “radical, unfair, illegal, and absurd,” applauding its invalidation.
The Education Department has yet to comment on the ruling.
The ruling marks a significant legal defeat for the Biden administration and a major win for advocates of religious liberty and parental rights, setting the stage for continued debates over the balance between anti-discrimination policies and constitutional freedoms.
