Following a 5-4 decision by the Supreme Court on Friday, Republican lawmakers are celebrating after the high court denied the Biden administration’s emergency request to partially reinstate new Title IX rules. These rules aimed to protect against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) took to social media to express his approval, stating, “Unlike Democrats, Republicans understand what constitutes a woman and recognize that Title IX was designed to safeguard women’s rights. We commend the Supreme Court for upholding the lower courts’ injunction.”
Supreme Court denies Biden administration’s emergency request, blocking new Title IX rules aimed at protecting LGBTQ students
Johnson further criticized the Biden administration, saying the Court’s decision halts attempts to undermine women’s rights and prevent men from participating in women’s sports.
Title IX, which guards against sex discrimination in educational institutions, saw its protections broadened under a new rule finalized by Biden in April. This update reinstated protections against sexual assault and added provisions to protect sexual orientation and gender identity for the first time, prohibiting discrimination against transgender and LGBTQ students.
Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) also praised the Court’s ruling, emphasizing that it supports states like Louisiana in blocking Biden’s rule, which would have allowed biological males access to female spaces such as bathrooms and locker rooms.
Scheduled to take effect on August 1, the rule faced challenges from Republican state attorneys general in ten states, leading to injunctions that blocked its implementation.
Rep. Andy Barr (R-Ky.) celebrated the decision, calling it a victory for women and advocating for the preservation of women’s sports and privacy.
With lower courts already siding with these injunctions and blocking the Department of Education from enforcing the rule in several Republican-majority states, the Supreme Court’s refusal to temporarily lift these rulings indicates ongoing litigation.
Rep. Kevin Hern (R-Okla.) also commended the Court’s decision, stating, “The Supreme Court has effectively stopped the Biden-Harris attempt to redefine Title IX. The protection of women’s sports and privacy is non-negotiable.”
The ruling comes despite a broader cultural debate, with many conservatives framing transgender issues in sports and bathrooms as central to their agenda. The Human Rights Campaign has criticized these arguments, claiming they are driven more by discrimination than by evidence.
Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) hailed the decision as a “big win,” while Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) called it a “great victory” for women, expressing surprise that such issues are even being debated.
The ruling on the emergency motion does not conclude the legal battle over Title IX. The cases challenging the new rule continue to progress through the courts, with potential future Supreme Court involvement.
