Federal law will now safeguard the rights of LGBTQ+ students, and new protections for victims of campus sexual assault have been established by the Biden administration through the finalization of rules on Friday.
These changes, part of a revised Title IX regulation from the Education Department, fulfill a campaign promise by President Biden to undo rules implemented by former Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, who added protections for students accused of sexual misconduct.
Notably absent from Biden's policy is any mention of transgender athletes, as the administration postponed a provision banning outright bans on transgender athletes in schools, seen as a political maneuver amidst Republican opposition.
Despite this, Biden's regulation undoes sexual assault rules put in place by his predecessor, drawing praise from victims' advocates and criticism from Republicans who argue it undermines the rights of accused students.
The new rule clarifies that Title IX protects LGBTQ+ students, a point of contention with Republicans who argue Congress never intended such protections under the law.
The rule faces opposition from Republican lawmakers and DeVos, who criticize it as an assault on women and girls, marking a continuation of the political battle surrounding campus sexual misconduct rules.