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Title IX protection extended to transgender students amid surge of legislation attacking their rights By Li Cohen
The majority of those bills, according to the Center, limit either the health care transgender youth can receive or limit their ability to participate in school sports.
The Department of Education announced Wednesday that transgender students are now protected under Title IX. The federal civil rights law, passed in 1972, protects people from discrimination based on sex, and now, gender identity and sexual orientation, in any educational setting that receives federal aid.
The announcement signals the Biden administration’s effort to reverse the myriad policies targeting transgender individuals that were implemented under the Trump adEducation Secretary Miguel Cardona testifies beministration. In 2017, for example, fore the Labor, Health and Human Services, Eduthe administration reversed polcation and Related Agencies Subcommittee on Cap“The Supreme Court has upheld itol Hill in Washington, DC, on June 16, 2021. icies that required public schools the right for LGBTQ+ people to to allow transgender students to live and work without fear of hause the bathroom that corresponds Trevor Project CEO and Executive rassment, exclusion, and discrimination with their gender. Director Amit Paley said in a statement — and our LGBTQ+ students have the that the organization is grateful to the same rights and deserve the same proActing Assistant Secretary for Civil department for “actively working to entections,” Secretary of Education Miguel Rights Suzanne B. Goldberg said in a sure that schools are safe and affirming Cardona said in a statement. “Today, the statement that the department wants to spaces for transgender and nonbinary Department makes clear that all stuprovide schools with support so that all youth.” dents — including LGBTQ+ students students can get adequate resources and — deserve the opportunity to learn and the tools they need to succeed, “regard“We know that trans-affirming schools thrive in schools that are free from disless of their gender identity or sexual can be life-saving,” he said. “Young peocrimination.” orientation.” ple spend most of their time at school and it’s crucial that all students are proThe announcement comes amid a dif“Equity in education means all stutected from discrimination and affordficult year for LGBTQ+ youth. A recent dents have access to schools that allow ed the same rights.” survey from The Trevor Project found them to learn and thrive in all aspects of that of the nearly 35,000 LGBTQ youth their educational experience,” Goldberg The protections also come during a between the ages of 13 and 24 who resaid. “As part of our mission to protect year in which states have pushed for and sponded to the survey, 70% said that all students’ civil rights, it is essential passed a surge of bills that seek to limit over the past year, their mental health that OCR acts to eliminate discriminathe rights of transgender youth. was “poor” at least most of the time. tion that targets LGBTQ+ students.” More than half of transgender or nonbiIn the 2021 legislative session alone, nary youth reported they seriously conSource: https://www.cbsnews.com 23 states have considered more than 50 sidered attempting suicide, the survey bills targeting transgender youth, acfound. cording to a list maintained by the National Center for Transgender Equality. A Little Bit Different Media LLC.
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