Less than a month into his second term of presidency, President Donald Trump of the United States ordered the bar on transgender athletes from participating in women's sports. On February 5, the presidential action titled, "Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports" (Executive Order 14201) was enacted for educational institutions and professional association athletic programs. Some embrace this as a positive step forward, while others view it as taking away individuals' rights and freedoms, essentially taking a step backward.

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With their updated version on the definition of a biological female, "a person belonging, at conception, to the s*x that produces the large reproductive cell", the White House claims that allowing those who do not belong in that category to participate in women’s sports is, quote, "demeaning, unfair, and dangerous to women and girls, and denies women and girls the equal opportunity to participate and excel in competitive sports". Thus, transgender women have been excluded from sports aimed at female competitors.

Although it was not a full consensus to pass it through Congress, the order is presented as a way to protect women's rights in the situation of privacy, fairness, and truth. Additionally, there is no act to bar transgender males from participating in male sports.

If schools or organizations do not comply with the ban, they risk losing federal funding, which is essential for many public institutions' operations. The U.S. Department of Education placed its input, accepting the federal claim, and are urging the immediate eraser of trans athletes from the NCAA and NFHS (National Collegiate Athletic Association and National Federation of State High School Associations).

The ban also expands to foreign athletes entering the States to compete. Transgender athletes will not be able to partake in United States hosted events despite their own country’s regulations, and some speculate this includes the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028.

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Alabama Attorney General, Steve Marshall, joined President Trump for the signing of Order 14201, and proudly shared his feelings on the new law. The Alabama government website posts his statement, "Americans should not have to worry about their daughters losing out on critical opportunities—whether spots on sports teams, scholarships, or the countless other advantages sports provide." In previous years he led similar projects and brought the issue up to the Supreme Court.

Similarly, but opposed to the ban, two transgender teen girls from New Hampshire took a stance against Trump’s new order and brought the matter into court. The two, Parker Tiirrell and Iris Turmelle previously had a lawsuit in place to go against the ban of transgender teens in school sports, but their attorneys have since asked to open the case further to include Trump’s “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports”.

Both Parker and Iris spoke to CNN on the matter, expressing their desires of inclusion on their school’s sporting teams. Iris is involved in tennis and hopes to have fun with friends through her sport. She shares, “I just want the same opportunities as other girls at my school.”

Parker played on her school’s soccer team in past years, and tells CNN, “I just want to go to school like other kids and keep playing the game I love.”

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A US District court allowed the two girls to continue on their respective teams in September, and the current terms of the lawsuit have been withheld in the meantime.

CIF, California’s governing body to its schools’ sports team, will also continue to allow trans athletes to participate in their sport under California law despite the presidential order.

Most approval of Order 14201 lies on the Republican side, who have oftentimes been exclaiming the significance and large impact it has had.

NCAA president Charlie Baker recited the numbers of transgender athletes being less than 10 is he aware of- not specifying the gender of those individuals.

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The act leads to speculation of whether the new law was indeed at the heart of women’s rights, or simply anti-trans.

Some Democrats point out the negatives of such an act, stating it may lead to bullying or harassment due to gender checks and prejudices, even if the athlete at hand is not transgender.

With changes being made so rapidly and controversially, there is not an exact estimable outcome to Trump’s new order. While some deem it a great feat, others fear it will devalue the lives of athletes across the board.