LANSING, Mich - Wednesday, President Donald Trump signed an executive order titled "Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports," which prohibits transgender women and girls from participating in female sports at educational institutions across the United States.
The Michigan High School Athletic Association said they will not follow Trump’s order at this time.
“The MHSAA is awaiting further guidance as to potential conflicts between yesterday’s executive order and Michigan’s Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act,” said MHSAA spokesperson Geoff Kimmerly said in a statement to Dave Bondy Keeping it Real.
Michigan's Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act (ELCRA), first enacted in 1976, protects residents from discrimination in employment, housing, education, and public services. Originally covering categories such as race, religion, sex, and age, the law was significantly expanded in 2023 to include sexual orientation and gender identity as protected classes. This change modernized the law supporters say, ensuring that LGBTQ+ individuals in Michigan are now explicitly safeguarded against discrimination in workplaces, housing, and public spaces.
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Trump’s order mandates that federal agencies enforce Title IX based on gender assigned at birth and threatens to withdraw federal funding from schools and universities that allow transgender athletes to compete in women's sports. Additionally, it directs the Department of State to advocate for similar policies internationally and to press the International Olympic Committee to exclude transgender women from female sporting events.
I interviewed Monica Yatoom from the Great Education Initiative who discussed the possibility that Michigan schools may not comply with President Trump’s executive action.
Click here to watch interview.
NCAA President Charlie Baker responded to the executive order in a statement, saying it provided a "clear, national standard."
Baker said the NCAA Board of Governors would review it and take steps to align the organization’s policy in the coming days.
The NCAA is an organization made up of 1,100 colleges and universities in all 50 states that collectively enroll more than 530,000 student-athletes," the statement said. "We strongly believe that clear, consistent and uniform eligibility standards would best serve today's student-athletes instead of a patchwork of conflicting state laws and court decisions. To that end, President Trump's order provides a clear, national standard.
"The NCAA Board of Governors is reviewing the executive order and will take necessary steps to align NCAA policy in the coming days, subject to further guidance from the administration. The Association will continue to help foster welcoming environments on campuses for all student-athletes. We stand ready to assist schools as they look for ways to support any student-athletes affected by changes in the policy."
