Thune: Female Athletes Deserve a Level Playing Field

Click here to watch the video.

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor:

Thune's remarks below (as delivered):

"Mr. President, it's one year this week since President Trump signed an executive order to protect women's and girls' opportunities in sports.

"The order denied federal funding to institutions that allow women's sports to be hijacked by biological males.

"Mr. President, this is an issue that means a lot to me.

"Sports are - always have been - a big deal in my family.

"And I'm the proud father of two daughters, both of whom excelled as student athletes, one of whom is in both a high school and college hall of fame.

"One of my granddaughters has started playing soccer and basketball.

"And I want all of my granddaughters to be able to enjoy the opportunities and benefits that sports offer.

"Women's sports have made tremendous strides in the past decades.

"Once a low - or nonexistent - priority for schools and universities, women's sports programs today are thriving, thanks in large part to Title IX: the landmark 1972 legislation that prohibited discrimination on the basis of sex in education, opening up equal spaces and opportunities for women.

"But now women's sports are facing a new challenge: the push to allow biological males to compete in women's sports.

"Mr. President, let me start by saying that this is a problem my Democrat colleagues and others on the left would like to minimize.

"'It's not a big deal' is the clear message we get from them.

"Well, Mr. President, it is a big deal.

"Biological males are taking up places meant for women across a wide variety of sports.

"Basketball. Swimming. Track. Softball. Volleyball. Soccer. Wrestling.

"And women are losing out as a result.

"At the most basic level … they're losing out on a slot on the team.

"Every roster place that goes to a male is a roster place that does not - does not - go to a female.

"And for women who are on the roster - well, the presence of a biological male can (and frequently does) rob them of opportunities to excel.

"Biologically, men possess physical advantages when it comes to sports - things like greater muscle mass and greater aerobic power - which means that, by and large, men are likely to dominate in women's sports, taking wins and medal opportunities away from women.

"And those wins and medal opportunities aren't just chances to excel - for high school students … they can also be the key to things like college scholarships.

"As one female runner who was robbed of multiple wins by a biological male described the situation, and I quote, 'It robs girls of the chance to race in front of college scouts who show up for elite meets, and to compete for the scholarships and opportunities that come with college recruitment. I'll never know how my own college recruitment was impacted by losing those four state championship titles to a male. When colleges looked at my record, they didn't see the fastest girl in Connecticut. They saw a second- or third-place runner.'

"Mr. President, a 2024 United Nations report on violence against women and girls - this one focused on sports - had this to say, and I quote:

"'Policies implemented by international federations and national governing bodies, along with national legislation in some countries, allow males who identify as women to compete in female sports categories. … The replacement of the female sports category with a mixed-sex category has resulted in an increasing number of female athletes losing opportunities, including medals, when competing against males. According to information received, by 30 March 2024, over 600 female athletes in more than 400 competitions have lost more than 890 medals in 29 different sports.'

"Let me just repeat that, Mr. President.

"'… over 600 female athletes in more than 400 competitions have lost more than 890 medals in 29 different sports.'

"Mr. President, you cannot allow biological men to compete in women's sports without disadvantaging women.

"That is just simply a fact.

"It's also common sense.

"I've given examples and cited a UN report, but most people don't need [either] to know that the idea of biological males taking up spaces in women's sports is wrong.

"Polling shows that a huge majority of the American people oppose biological males playing women's sports.

"And last year I gave members of both parties the chance to take action - to uphold the intentions of Title IX and ensure that there are genuine spaces and opportunities for women.

"The Senate voted on the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act - legislation from my colleague Senator Tuberville (a former high school girls' basketball coach) to ensure that women, and women only, participate in women's sports at federally funded educational institutions.

"And every single Democrat opposed the bill.

"Every Democrat voted against protecting spaces for women and girls in sports.

"Not one member - not one member - of the party that likes to style itself as the champion of women's rights could bring himself or herself to support women.

"Transgender ideology won the day.

"And women took second place.

"And so, Mr. President, the challenges for women and girls in sports continue.

"Thanks to this administration's actions, Title IX is being enforced and upheld, and women and girls playing sports at federally funded educational institutions are protected.

"But thanks to my Democrat colleagues, those protections can be removed or reversed by the next administration.

"Generations of women have benefited from fair competition and equal opportunity thanks to Title IX.

"Will Democrats spell the end of Title IX's achievements?

"Mr. President, I hope not."

Permalink: https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2026/2/thune-female-athletes-deserve-a-level-playing-field