DOJ probes California transgender athletes law

The Justice Department on Wednesday said it was opening an investigation into whether a California education law violates Title IX, the federal law prohibiting sex-based discrimination. The law in question permits students to use sex-segregated programs and facilities based on gender identity rather than biological sex. The Justice Department said that it had sent legal notice letters to California Attorney General Rob Bonta, state education authorities, and the Jurupa Unified School District.

What’s happening in the Jurupa school district? A male track and field athlete from the district who identifies as female won several titles in girls’ triple and long jump this month, according to KABC-TV. After President Donald Trump on Tuesday threatened to pull large amounts of federal funding, the California Interscholastic Federation changed its rules for this weekend’s state track and field finals, allowing more female athletes to qualify for the championships.

The Justice Department also filed a statement of interest in federal court in support of a lawsuit brought by female athletes. The plaintiffs include two female cross-country runners who attend Martin Luther King High School in Riverside, Calif. One lost her spot on the girls’ varsity team to a male athlete who previously broke an all-time girls’ record at another school. The plaintiffs said the school was discriminating against girls, according to the Justice Department.

Dig deeper: Listen to Lindsay Mast’s report on The World and Everything in It about female athletes speaking out against male participation in their sports.