Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed a lawsuit against the Biden Administration over a new federal rule that he argues undermines protections for women in educational institutions. The rule, issued by the Department of Education under Title IX, expands the definition of "sex" to include self-professed "gender identity," leading to concerns about the accommodation of transgender individuals in female-only spaces.
Paxton asserts that the new regulation distorts the original intent of Title IX, which was designed to prevent sex-based discrimination in educational programs. The lawsuit aims to challenge the Biden Administration's authority in implementing these changes, which could potentially jeopardize the safety and privacy of women and girls in school settings.
America First Legal (AFL) has joined the legal battle as co-counsel, with AFL President Stephen Miller expressing strong opposition to the new Title IX regulation. Miller condemned the rule, stating that it forces women and girls to share facilities with men, leading to what he described as a degrading and humiliating situation for women. He emphasized the importance of defeating the regulation for the protection of American women and daughters.
This legal action follows previous challenges by Texas against similar policies proposed by the Biden Administration. Paxton had previously raised concerns over the redefinition of sex based on "gender identity" and "sexual orientation," rather than objective biological criteria.
The lawsuit represents a continued effort to push back against what critics view as the Biden Administration's overreach in promoting gender ideology in educational settings, raising constitutional and safety concerns for women and girls.