AFPI Requests Civil Rights Investigation into Oregon’s Athletic Policies Allowing Male Athletes in Girls’ Sports

Washington D.C.— The America First Policy Institute (AFPI) formally submitted a civil rights complaint to the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights, calling for an investigation into Oregon’s state education and athletic policies that allow biological males to compete in female-only sports. The complaint alleges that policies enforced by the Oregon Department of Education (ODE) and the Oregon School Activities Association (OSAA) violate Title IX protections for female student-athletes.

“Every girl deserves a fair shot — on the field, on the podium, and in life,” said Jessica Hart Steinmann, AFPI’s Executive General Counsel and Vice Chair of the Center for Litigation. “When state institutions knowingly force young women to compete against biological males, they’re violating federal law and sending a devastating message to female athletes across the country.”

AFPI’s complaint includes first-hand accounts from Oregon high school athletes and outlines competitive and emotional harm caused by these policies. The students describe lost medals, skewed rankings, and a chilling effect on their ability to speak out about what they believe is unfair treatment. In some cases, male competitors were granted special accommodations unavailable to female athletes — including being allowed to compete alone in field events to avoid scrutiny.

The complaint argues that the policies create a hostile environment for female athletes and violate the foundational principles of Title IX, which prohibits sex-based discrimination in federally funded education programs.

This action follows President Trump’s Executive Order 14201, “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports,” which reaffirms the federal government’s commitment to ensuring fair competition in girls’ and women’s athletics.

“This is not an isolated story,” said Steinmann. “It’s a snapshot of what’s happening across the country. We’re asking the Department of Education to uphold the law and restore the protections Title IX was designed to guarantee.”

AFPI has requested that the Office for Civil Rights investigate the ODE and OSAA, issue findings, and take all necessary action to bring Oregon’s K–12 athletics programs into compliance with federal law.

Video testimony from affected families has been collected by the AFPI litigation team and is available upon request.