'Bravo': Texas Gov Greg Abbott lauded as he orders state to ignore Biden admin's 'illegal' Title IX changes

HOUSTON, TEXAS: Texas Governor Greg Abbott declared his state's defiance against the Biden administration's recent alterations to Title IX, the federal civil rights law aimed at preventing sex-based discrimination in government-funded educational institutions.

In a letter addressed to President Joe Biden on Monday, April 29, Abbott denounced the revised rules, particularly criticizing their provisions extending protections to transgender students, which he deemed "illegal."

Texas Governor Greg Abbott calls Biden administration's Title IX changes an 'abuse of authority'

In the letter, Abbott wrote, "You have rewritten Title IX to force schools to treat boys as if they are girls and to accept every student’s self-declared gender identity," as per The Hill. 

The Republican Governor's opposition to the changes stemmed from his belief that they represent a partisan imposition on Title IX, exceeding the president's constitutional authority.

Abbott added, "I am instructing the Texas Education Agency to ignore your illegal dictate. Your rewrite of Title IX not only exceeds your constitutional authority, it also tramples laws that I signed to protect the integrity of women’s sports by prohibiting men from competing against female athletes. Texas will fight to protect those laws and to deny your abuse of authority."

Texas Attorney General files lawsuit against the Biden administration over the new 'overbroad' Title IX regulations

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit against the Biden administration over the new Title IX regulations, labeling them as "vague" and "overbroad."

While announcing the lawsuit, Paxton noted, "Texas will not allow Joe Biden to rewrite Title IX at whim, destroying legal protections for women in furtherance of his radical obsession with gender ideology. This attempt to subvert federal law is plainly illegal, undemocratic, and divorced from reality."

The suit, filed in the Amarillo Division of the Northern District of Texas, is likely to be overseen by US District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk, known for his outspoken opposition to LGBTQ+ rights.

Kacsmaryk's stance on gender identity issues has historical precedence, as demonstrated by his past support for the Gloucester County School Board in Virginia during a discrimination lawsuit brought by transgender student Gavin Grimm. 

The judge's position aligns with Paxton's argument that Title IX should not encompass protections for gender identity, further fueling the legal dispute.

"The [final Title IX rule] wrongly equates discrimination on account of sexual orientation and gender identity with ‘sex’ discrimination," wrote Paxton in Monday’s lawsuit, filed jointly with America First Legal," as reported by The Hill. 

Despite the Biden administration's efforts to expand Title IX's scope, a growing number of Republican-led states, including Florida, Louisiana, and South Carolina, have joined Texas in rejecting the revised regulations.

These states argue that the changes undermine women's rights by broadening the definition of sex discrimination to include gender identity. 

Internet reacts to Texas Governor Greg Abbott's denouncing the Title IX revisions

Abbott's decision to challenge the Biden administration's Title IX revisions garnered support on social media, with netizens applauding his stance on safeguarding women's sports.

"Great news," wrote former Olympian Caitlyn Jenner on X (formerly Twitter). Another X user remarked, "In Texas, we ignore Biden." 

"Thank you Governor Abbott for supporting and protecting women," noted a person, while someone else said, "Bravo, Governor. Thank you for standing up for our daughters." 

An individual declared, "Men don’t belong in Women’s sports or bathrooms!!!" 

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.