The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) approved a transgender participation policy Monday that will only allow athletes to participate in NAIA-sponsored women’s sports if their biological sex assigned at birth is female and they have not begun hormone therapy. The policy will also allow all athletes to participate in male sports.
“We are unwavering in our support of fair competition for our student-athletes,” NAIA President and CEO Jim Carr said in a news release. “It is crucial that NAIA member institutions, conferences, and student-athletes participate in an environment that is equitable and respectful. With input from our member institutions and the Transgender Task Force, the NAIA’s Council of Presidents has confirmed our path forward.”
Under the new policy, an athlete who has not begun any masculinizing hormone therapy may participate in women’s sports without limitation. But if an athlete has begun hormone therapy, that athlete will not be allowed to participate in interscholastic competition, but will still be permitted to workout, practice and participate in team activities.
The transgender participation policy will apply to all sports except for cheer and dance, which are both coed.
The NAIA is a mostly small college sports…
