Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., took heat on social media on Tuesday for a post he made about transgender athletes in women’s sports.
Durbin was among the lawmakers who grilled NCAA President Charlie Baker on Capitol Hill. Durbin asked Baker how many athletes were in the collegiate organization and how many of those athletes were transgender.
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Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., speaks on student loans on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024 on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib)
Baker said there were about 510,000 NCAA athletes with 10 or fewer of those being transgender.
“Let’s focus on ways to actually improve women’s sports,” Durbin wrote on X.
The senator faced backlash for the post on X.
Baker faced questions from Sens. John Kennedy, R-La., and Josh Hawley, R-Mo., about trans participation in women’s sports and the accommodations for those athletes.
Hawley and Baker sparred over NCAA policies that have allowed trans athletes to compete on women’s teams. Hawley confronted Baker about the NCAA policy that states “transgender student athletes should be able to use the locker room, shower and toilet facilities in accordance with their gender identity.”
Committee Chairman Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., speaks during a hearing of the Senate Committee on the Judiciary on Capitol Hill on Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024 in Washington, D.C. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
Baker responded by insisting other athletes have the option to find other accommodations if they are uncomfortable with it.
“Everybody else should have an opportunity to use other facilities if they wish to do so,” Baker said.
Baker added that NCAA guidelines give the institutions and organizations that host college sporting events, who he referred to as “locals,” the option to accommodate athletes however they see fit.
“I believe our guidelines give people optionality in how they choose to use their facilities,” Baker said. “We told the local folks who hosted our tournaments that they need to make accommodations for the people who are playing.”
Baker also refused to initially agree with the notion that biological males have physical advantages over female athletes. When asked by Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., if trans athletes are at an advantage, Baker said the idea was debatable.
“There’s not a lot of research on it, but it’s certainly debatable,” Baker said.
Kennedy posed the question a second time, asking if Baker did not think that “a biological male has an advantage every time competing against a biological female.”
The NCAA president changed his answer, saying, “I think the way you defined it, yes, I would agree with you.”
When Baker was pressed about why he and the NCAA have not taken action to amend policies to prevent trans inclusion in women’s sports, he repeatedly cited federal law and recent rulings of federal courts that have enabled it. Kennedy loudly encouraged Baker to do something about it anyway.
NCAA President Charlie Baker speaks during a press conference celebrating the 25-year anniversary of the NCAA moving its national office to Indianapolis on Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024 at the NCAA Headquarters in Indianapolis. (Michelle Pemberton/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK)
“Why don’t you go to Amazon and buy a spine online and take a stand?” Kennedy yelled at Baker.
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Trans inclusion in women’s sports has been a major issue in the U.S. The issue has grown in recent years with Lia Thomas winning a women’s swimming national championship and Blaire Fleming helping San Jose State women’s volleyball to a Mountain West Conference Championship appearance.
Fox News’ Jackson Thompson contributed to this report.
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