A third transgender athlete has filed a lawsuit against US universities amid a national push to restrict biological men from participating in women’s sports. This lawsuit comes shortly after April, when it’s claimed that trans athletes returned to women’s teams, despite NCAA regulations and federal law prohibiting such actions.
Evelyn Parts, a track and field runner, is taking action against Swarthmore College and the NCAA, arguing that the college violated Title IX by barring her from competing on the women’s track and field team earlier this year. She contends that schools were barred from allowing her to join female teams right around the time the NCAA altered its gender eligibility policy to exclude biological men from women’s events after a directive from President Trump aimed at protecting women’s sports.
According to Parts, she made a full comeback to the women’s track team on April 11, even after the policy reforms and Trump’s executive order were enacted. She claims that she was permitted to compete on the women’s team until her graduation in May. Records show that she won the women’s 10,000 meter at the Bill Butler Invitational in April and participated in other competitions.
Her legal action follows a similar lawsuit by fellow trans athlete Sadishreiner against Princeton University, which was initiated less than a month earlier. Additionally, Emma Morquecho, a trans volleyball player, has also filed a lawsuit against Westcliffe University and the National Association of America.
This surge of lawsuits reflects a shift in strategy following the federal mandate from Trump that restricts trans athletes in women’s sports. This marks a departure from previous legal actions where the focus was on suing universities to allow trans athletes access to shared facilities with biological males.
In contrast, President Biden has introduced measures to safeguard women’s sports, promoting participation for transgender individuals under prior NCAA policies. Various lawsuits, including those led by Riley Gaines and Brook Slusser regarding Leah Thomas, a former swimmer at the University of Pennsylvania, are part of this ongoing legal landscape.
Schreiner, who competed on the women’s track and field team at Rochester Institute of Technology before the new NCAA rules, saw Caroline Hill, a former RIT runner, join Gaines’ lawsuit, citing a personal experience with her. Parts is represented by Attorney Susie Siriri, who also represents Schreiner.
Siriri expressed support for Parts’ lawsuit, stating, “The NCAA is a private organization that issued a biased policy. Swarthmore has followed that policy and chosen to ignore federal and state laws.”
Trump’s Department of Education has previously taken action against several universities regarding trans athletes in women’s sports, reaching agreements with institutions like UPenn related to their policies. Similar resolutions have been made with Wagner College over a trans fencer.
If the claims are accurate, Swarthmore would be noted as the second school allowing trans athletes to compete in women’s teams post-policy changes. Ithaca University in New York has already confirmed participation of trans athletes in a rowing competition. They faced scrutiny when a trans athlete competed in an event due to a coaching misunderstanding, prompting NCAA remarks clarifying their policies.
The NCAA emphasized that exemptions are not permitted for those assigned male at birth, insisting that teams with such athletes are classified as mixed and cannot compete with women’s teams. They appreciated Ithaca’s commitment to adhere to these regulations.
