Trump’s Targeting of Title IX: An Attack on All Students 

November 11, 2026

In September 2026, the Trump administration announced another plan to roll back human rights: a return to President Trump’s 2020 interpretation of Title IX, the federal law barring sex discrimination in federally funded educational programs.

The 2020 interpretation of Title IX – now, regrettably, the 2026 interpretation – removes protections for transgender students. Though the new rule does not explicitly define “sex,” Bianca Quilantan keenly observes that the Department of Education “repeatedly highlights court decisions that struck down the Biden-era rule over its protections for gender identity and sexual orientation.” And on social media, the Department of Education is quite clear on where things stand: the administration is “formally putting into regulation what the law has said all along: Title IX’s protections are based on SEX, not ‘gender identity.’” As we at the Woodhull Freedom Foundation have explained, this is a critical distinction: sex and gender are not the same thing.

In support of this anti-trans interpretation of Title IX, the administration claims that it will somehow increase protections for women and girls. This claim is patently false. Clearly, it is both unacceptable and unlawful to harm trans students in exchange for helping women and girls. But the new interpretation doesn’t even help women and girls – not to mention the fact that trans women and girls exist. In fact, it does the opposite. By narrowing the definition of sex-based harassment, requiring schools only to investigate incidents that happen on campus, and raising the burden of proof for sexual misconduct, this interpretation makes it harder for women and girls to seek justice for sexual assault and harassment.

We at the Woodhull are disheartened by this attack on our fundamental human rights. Our rights are particularly precious when it comes to the ability to access a quality, comprehensive, and safe education. Denying students or teachers any recourse for anti-trans discrimination in schools is unacceptable. So is restricting the path for students or teachers seeking justice for sexual assault. In the words of Shiwali Patel, senior director of education justice at the National Women’s Law Center, Title IX should ensure “schools are inclusive spaces that provide equal educational opportunity for all students.”