The University of Pennsylvania has become the first school to formally agree to exclude transgender women from its women’s sports teams, following pressure from the Trump administration — a move that could trigger a wave of similar actions across the country.
The deal, reached with the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR), came after a federal investigation concluded that Penn violated Title IX by allowing Lia Thomas, a transgender swimmer, to compete during the 2021–22 season. Thomas had broken three school records while competing on the women’s swim team, which have since been removed from Penn’s official leaderboard. A footnote now states the records were set “under eligibility rules in effect at the time.”
As part of the agreement, Penn pledged to publicly comply with the Trump administration’s strict interpretation of Title IX, which it claims prohibits transgender girls and women from participating in female athletics. The school must now ban trans women from women’s teams and athletic spaces like locker rooms and restrooms. It also agreed to adopt “biology-based” definitions of “male” and “female,” aligned with two executive orders signed by Trump earlier this year.
Penn President J. Larry Jameson said in a letter to the university community that while the school remains committed to inclusivity, it must also comply with federal law and NCAA policies. He warned that failure to reach an agreement could have brought serious financial consequences.
In fact, Penn had already seen $175 million in federal contracts frozen in March over the Thomas controversy. That funding was reinstated after the university signed the OCR resolution, a White House official confirmed.
Critics argue the move sets a dangerous precedent. “There is nothing legitimate about what the Trump administration is doing here,” said Shiwali Patel of the National Women’s Law Center. “This is political pressure disguised as civil rights enforcement.”
Patel fears that Penn’s decision may encourage other institutions to quietly follow suit, especially those reliant on federal funds. “If schools don’t challenge this, it signals to the administration that this approach works — and that they can keep pushing even harder.”
Since returning to office in January, President Trump has dramatically expanded efforts to roll back trans-inclusive policies. The Department of Education has opened over two dozen new Title IX investigations into states and school districts that allow trans student-athletes to compete. In April, the Education and Justice Departments launched a joint “special investigations team” to handle the influx of complaints.
The crackdown has extended to states like Maine and California. The Justice Department recently filed a civil lawsuit against Maine over its trans-inclusive policies, while Trump has threatened California’s funding over a trans teen’s participation in high school track.
Despite the pressure, some states and schools — including Harvard — have resisted. The Biden-era Harvard is still engaged in legal battles over a separate $2.2 billion funding freeze tied to disputes over constitutional authority and educational autonomy.
Leah Reynolds, a Title IX consultant, said many schools are now facing a stark choice: adopt restrictive eligibility policies or risk losing critical federal aid. “No school wants to be the next target. Especially in Republican-led states, institutions may feel they have no choice.”
Since 2020, 27 GOP-controlled states have passed laws banning trans student-athletes from competing in line with their gender identity. Several of those laws are tied up in court, including a recent New Hampshire ruling that allows only two plaintiffs to continue competing under their gender identity.
Now, the debate could reach its highest level. On Thursday, the Supreme Court agreed to hear a case next term that could decide whether state-level bans on transgender athletes violate Title IX or the Equal Protection Clause of the Constitution.
Until then, advocates fear that agreements like Penn’s may become the new norm.
“We’re entering a period where civil rights are being rewritten,” said Patel. “And the cost will fall hardest on transgender students who just want to play.”
