The University of Pennsylvania (UPenn) has agreed to prohibit transgender women from competing on women’s sports teams under a Title IX resolution reached with the U.S. Department of Education, which found UPenn had violated federal civil rights laws by allowing transgender swimmer Lia Thomas to compete in the 2021‑22 season. The agreement mandates that UPenn restore athletic records and titles to biological female athletes and issue personalized apology letters to those affected
The deal follows a federal investigation triggered by Thomas’s historic NCAA Division I national title in women’s swimming, prompting scrutiny of the university’s eligibility policies. Under the terms, UPenn must adopt biology-based definitions of sex, bar male-assigned athletes from female facilities and teams, and publicly reaffirm compliance with Title IX
Secretary of Education Linda McMahon hailed the resolution as a “great victory for women and girls,” attributing it to former President Trump’s executive orders aimed at protecting women’s sports . University President J. Larry Jameson acknowledged that while past policies complied with NCAA rules, the new directive ensures future alignment with federal requirements
The case has reignited national debates on transgender participation in sports, with LGBTQ advocates warning of exclusionary impacts and others, including former swimmer Riley Gaines, celebrating it as a protection of fairness for cisgender women
