All My Exes Block Title IX

As the 2024 U.S. election approaches, LGBTQ+ youth face a pivotal moment in the fight for their rights, especially in education. The recent legal battles in Texas over Title IX—a federal law designed to prevent sex-based discrimination in schools—have placed queer and transgender students at the heart of a national culture war. A ruling from a Texas federal judge has significantly curtailed protections for LGBTQ+ students, stripping away safeguards against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

The Texas Ruling and Its Consequences

In August 2024, Texas federal judge Reed O’Connor expanded a previous ruling that blocks the Biden administration’s effort to update Title IX to explicitly protect LGBTQ+ students. O’Connor ruled that the administration overstepped its authority by extending the law to cover gender identity and sexual orientation. His decision means that schools in Texas are not required to protect queer students from discrimination under Title IX, and it sets the stage for broader legal challenges across conservative states.^{1 2}

Here’s how this matters:

• Transgender Students in Sports: The ruling allows Texas schools to bar transgender students from participating in sports that align with their gender identity, reinforcing an already hostile environment for trans youth who are often marginalized in school sports³
• Restroom and Locker Room Access: The decision also opens the door for schools to enforce discriminatory policies, restricting access to restrooms and locker rooms that correspond with a student’s gender identity⁴.
• Name and Pronoun Use: Without the protection of Title IX, schools may no longer feel obligated to honour students’ preferred names and pronouns, further alienating and erasing transgender identities in the school environment⁵

Texas isn’t acting alone. Similar lawsuits are underway in over 20 other states, emboldened by O’Connor’s decision. These states argue that extending Title IX protections to LGBTQ+ students imposes “unlawful” mandates on schools, such as allowing trans athletes to compete on girls’ teams. This broader legal pushback threatens to erode queer student rights nationwide​⁶.

The National Context: A Race Against Time

At the heart of the issue is the intersection of state and federal authority. While the Biden administration issued revised Title IX rules in April 2024 to strengthen protections for LGBTQ+ students, these have been temporarily blocked in 26 states, including Texas, as the courts continue to grapple with these legal challenges​⁷.

The Title IX protections were seen as a lifeline for students who already face high rates of bullying, harassment, and mental health struggles. The rollback of these protections—along with the new state laws targeting gender-affirming care and restricting access to LGBTQ+ inclusive curriculums—puts queer youth in an even more vulnerable position⁸.

The Stakes in the 2024 Election

The upcoming election will be a turning point. Whether these discriminatory policies stand or fall will depend heavily on who controls key positions—from school boards to state legislatures to the presidency itself. Advocacy groups like the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) are mobilizing voters, urging them to prioritize LGBTQ+ rights at every level of government. At the center of their efforts is the “Pride to the Polls” campaign, designed to ensure that pro-equality candidates win local and national races⁹.

Why It Matters

The fight for LGBTQ+ youth rights is far from over, but the results of the 2024 election could determine the direction the country takes. Will it be a future where queer students are protected and allowed to thrive? Or one where they are further marginalized and erased from public life? The answer lies in the hands of voters.

The Title IX battles in Texas are emblematic of a larger struggle: the fight for recognition, dignity, and safety for LGBTQ+ students across the country. This election offers a rare chance to push back against the tide of discrimination and ensure a safer, more inclusive future for all students.

1. https://spectrumlocalnews.com/tx/south-texas-el-paso/news/2024/08/15/judge-expands-ruling-blocking-biden-administration-s-updated-title-ix-protections- ↩︎
2. https://www.kvue.com/article/news/texas-federal-judge-expands-ruling-blocking-title-ix-regulations-lgbtq-student-protections/269-a44f543a-efea-4683-a906-76f757c96e96 ↩︎
3. https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2024/08/texas-judge-expands-injunction-against-dept-of-educations-trans-student-protections/ ↩︎
4. ref. 1 ↩︎
5. https://www.texastribune.org/2024/06/12/texas-title-ix-lgbtq-students/ ↩︎
6. ref. 2 ↩︎
7. ref. 5 ↩︎
8. ref. 5 ↩︎
9. https://www.hrc.org/news/how-2024-could-make-or-break-lgbtq-youth-rights-a-youth-ambassadors-perspective ↩︎