Gov. Ricketts urges Biden administration not to change Title IX interpretation

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — Gov. Pete Ricketts signed onto a letter with 14 other governors urging the Biden administration to not change its interpretation of Title IX.

The administration has proposed changing the interpretation of the phrase “on the basis of sex” in the law to include gender identity and sexual orientation.

The new interpretation would prevent discrimination among these groups in public institutions.

Ricketts said this interpretation would put women and girls at risk.

“The DOEd (Department of Education) rule would force any institution that receives federal financial aid to allow biological males to access women’s and girls’ locker rooms, bathrooms, and dorms, depriving them of privacy and safety at school,” the governors wrote. “The rule ensures that a far-left ideology on gender will be taught in schools nationwide. And finally … the policy changes your Administration has already put forward leave us with no doubt that the Department intends to eliminate fairness in girls’ sports, too.”

SEE ALSO: Nebraska AG joins effort to stop addition of LGBTQ protections in Title IX

The National Center for Transgender Equality, an organization that advocates for transgender rights, said policies that allow people to use the restroom of the gender they identify with do not legalize harassment, stalking, violence or sexual assault.

According to the organization, states that allow transgender people to use restrooms according to their identity have not seen an increase in victimization.

A full version of the governors’ letter can be found here.