Biden law expanding protections for LGBTQ+ students suffers new setback

President Joe Biden’s administration’s attempts to expand protections for LGBTQ+ students in the United States hit a new obstacle on Monday, when a federal judge in Kentucky temporarily blocked the new Title IX measure in six other states.

Federal Judge Danny C. Reeves called the initiative “arbitrary in the purest sense of the word” when granting the preliminary injunction to block it in Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia.

The magistrate issued his ruling days after another federal judge blocked the rule from temporarily taking effect in Idaho, Louisiana, Mississippi and Montana.

Attorneys general from more than 20 states with Republican governments had filed at least seven challenges to Biden’s new policy. Republicans argue it is a ruse to allow transgender girls to be part of women’s track teams. The federal government assures that the measure does not apply to athletics.

The Republican attorneys general of Arkansas, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota filed a request for a preliminary injunction, which remains under deliberation. The Department of Education asked a judge to deny the request.

Scheduled to take effect next August, the measure expands the civil rights protections established in Title IX to LGBTQ+ students, expands the definition of sexual harassment in schools and universities, and adds safeguards for victims. Title IX, passed in 1972, is a law that prohibits sex discrimination in education.

Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman, Republican, applauded the ruling and said the initiative would undermine equal opportunities for women.

“The judge’s order makes clear that the federal Department of Education’s attempt to redefine ‘sex’ to include ‘gender identity’ is unlawful and goes beyond the agency’s regulatory authority,” Coleman said in a statement. .

The Department of Education said it will “continue to fight for every student” as it reviews the ruling.

“Title IX ensures that no person will be the victim of sex discrimination in a federally funded educational setting,” the agency said in a statement. “The department drafted the final Title IX regulations following a rigorous process.”

Connect with the Voice of America! Subscribe to our channels Youtube, WhatsApp and to the newsletter. Turn on notifications and follow us on Facebook, x and instagram.