The U.S. Department of Education (ED) announced Thursday that it has launched an investigation into the California Community College Athletic Association (3C2A) amid allegations that the association’s transgender participation policy allows biological males who identify as female to compete on women’s teams in violation of federal law.
The investigation comes during a week in which the Supreme Court heard arguments in two major cases concerning state bans on male participation in women’s and girls’ sports. The 3C2A probe is part of a broader effort by ED’s Office for Civil Rights and the Department of Justice’s Title IX Special Investigations Team to enforce protections against sex discrimination under Title IX.
At issue is 3C2A’s “Transgender Participation Policy,” which permits a transgender woman or non‑binary athlete who has completed at least one year of testosterone suppression to compete on women’s teams. A complaint filed with the Education Department alleges that this policy resulted in discrimination against female athletes, including by allowing a male athlete to play on a women’s volleyball team and access women’s locker facilities during the 2024 and 2025 seasons.
According to ED, the complaint also claims that 3C2A failed to address female students’ concerns and complaints about the policy’s impact on fairness and safety. The association oversees more than 100 athletic programs across California’s community college system.
Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Kimberly Richey criticized the association’s policy in a statement, saying that the existence of such a policy “is a stunning indictment of our culture” and insisting that women’s sports are meant for women. Richey referenced remarks by California Governor Gavin Newsom, who has acknowledged that male participation in women’s sports is “deeply unfair,” as an example of the broader debate over gender identity policies in athletics.
Richey added that the Trump administration will not tolerate policies that, in its view, undermine women’s rights and equality in educational programs and athletic opportunities. She said the Title IX Special Investigations Team will pursue the matter to ensure equal access and fairness for female athletes.
The department noted that Title IX prohibits sex discrimination in any program or activity that receives federal financial assistance, which includes most public colleges and universities. Earlier, in June 2025, ED concluded that the California Department of Education and the California Interscholastic Federation were in violation of Title IX for state policies that allowed students who identify as transgender to compete on girls’ sports teams.
The 3C2A investigation adds to a growing slate of Title IX enforcement actions. ED said it launched a total of 18 different Title IX investigations this week across ten states, reflecting heightened federal scrutiny of athletic and educational policies related to sex and gender identity.
