Indiana Governor Mike Braun took decisive action on Tuesday by signing two executive orders that target transgender athletes in collegiate sports and what he describes as “extreme gender ideology.”
These executive orders are similar to those previously enacted by former President Donald Trump during his second term.
In response to a directive from Trump issued earlier this year, the NCAA instituted a ban on transgender women from competing in women’s sports, restricting eligibility to individuals assigned female at birth.
Braun’s first executive order mandates that the Indiana Commission for Higher Education ensure compliance with Trump’s 2020 Title IX regulations, which do not extend protections to transgender students.
The second order asserts that “male” and “female” are the only recognized sexes and equates “sex” with “gender,” explicitly criticizing “modern gender ideology” as being out of touch with biological truths.
According to a statement from the governor’s office, these orders aim to “promote fairness in women’s sports and reject extreme gender ideology in favor of the scientific reality of biological sex.”
In response, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Indiana condemned the executive orders. Chris Daley, the executive director of the ACLU of Indiana, stated, “These orders are not supportive of women in Indiana; rather, they target transgender individuals. If applied to essential government services such as driver’s licenses, they could jeopardize the safety of transgender residents.”
Daley further noted that Braun’s actions negatively impact individuals who wish to contribute positively to their communities while diminishing the state’s reputation.
Currently, Purdue University does not have any openly transgender athletes. The university’s LGBTQ Center opted not to comment on the matter, directing inquiries to Chief Spokesperson Erin Murphy, who did not respond before publication.
Braun expressed his concerns, stating, “Substituting the established fact of biological sex with a constantly evolving, self-reported notion of ‘gender identity’ has significant implications. Indiana will not conform to this radical reinterpretation of gender, nor will we permit taxpayer funds to support this ideology.”
