Rep. Jamie Allard of Eagle River on Tuesday praised a recent decision by the US Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights, which found that California violated Title IX by allowing biological males to compete in girls’ sports. The ruling gives California 10 days to reverse course or risk losing federal education funding.
“This ruling is a win for fairness, a win for women, and a win for common sense,” said Rep. Allard. “Title IX was enacted to give women equal opportunities. Allowing biological males to compete against girls undermines the integrity of women’s sports and endangers the progress generations of women have fought for.”
Allard is the sponsor of House Bill 40, introduced earlier this year, which would require Alaska school sports teams to be designated based on biological sex and preserve female-only competition. The bill has not received a hearing in the House, which is led by a Democrat-majority coalition. It’s the second time Allard has tried to get a bill passed though the legislature to protect girl athletes.
“As a mother, veteran, and former Junior Olympic athlete, I will never stop defending our daughters’ right to compete on a level playing field,” Allard said. “It’s deeply disappointing that the majority in the Alaska Legislature won’t even allow a public conversation about this issue. Alaska’s girls deserve better.”
The federal ruling at the same time the Department of Education announced a resolution agreement with the University of Pennsylvania, concluding the school wrongly allowed a male to participate in women’s swimming during the 2021–22 NCAA season.
Allard’s HB 40 is part of a broader national debate over the future of Title IX and the participation of male athletes in female divisions. Allard has said she remains committed to advancing the bill.
