Pablo Torre and Rachel Maddow have argued that the debate over transgender athletes in women’s sports is a political issue that has been exaggerated.
In an appearance on Torre’s show, Maddow said Republicans had created a controversy with little connection to the lives of nearly all Americans. Torre said he had asked the NCAA how many transgender athletes were competing in women’s sports and was told the number was effectively zero.
But that figure needs context. On Feb. 5, 2025, President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing federal agencies to enforce sex-based protections in sports under Title IX. The following day, the NCAA changed its participation policy, limiting women’s competition to athletes who were assigned female at birth.
NCAA President Charlie Baker said the president’s order provided a clear national standard. The policy change came after several high-profile cases involving transgender athletes in women’s competitions.
Lia Thomas, who had previously competed on the University of Pennsylvania men’s swimming team, won the 2022 NCAA Division I women’s 500-yard freestyle title, finishing ahead of Olympic silver medalist Emma Weyant.
CeCe Telfer, formerly a men’s track athlete at Franklin Pierce University, won the 2019 NCAA Division II women’s 400-meter hurdles championship. In 2024, Sadie Schreiner won the Liberty League women’s outdoor 200- and 400-meter titles for Rochester Institute of Technology, setting a conference record in the 400 meters.
Blaire Fleming, a San Jose State volleyball player, also became the subject of national debate in 2024. Fleming received All-Mountain West honorable mention that season, while several opposing teams forfeited matches against San Jose State.
These cases took place before the NCAA revised its rules. People can disagree about whether the earlier policies were fair, but the controversy did not emerge without real events behind it.
Using current participation numbers without noting that eligibility rules have since changed leaves out important context. Torre’s account of the NCAA’s response may describe the present situation, but it doesn’t show that the issue was never a concern.
