Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Trans Women Must Now Compete In US Men's Olympic Competitions
The New York Times: U.S. Olympic Officials Bar Transgender Women From Women’s Competitions
The United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee quietly changed its eligibility rules on Monday to bar transgender women from competing in Olympic women’s sports, and now will comply with President Trump’s executive order on the issue, according to a post on the organization’s website. The new policy, expressed in a short, vaguely worded paragraph, is tucked under the category of “USOPC Athlete Safety Policy” on the site, and does not include details of how the ban will work. Nor does the new policy include the word “transgender” or the title of Mr. Trump’s executive order, “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports,” referring to it instead as “Executive Order 14201.” (Macur, 7/22)
USA Today: Attorneys General From 28 States Urge NCAA To Erase Transgender Athlete Records
Attorneys general from 28 states sent a letter to the NCAA, urging the organization to wipe out records, awards, titles and any other recognitions transgender athletes received in women's sports. The letter, spearheaded by Mississippi attorney general Lynn Fitch, was sent on Tuesday, July 22, co-signed by other Republican attorneys general. Fitch said in a statement the letter urges the NCAA to "restore to female athletes the records, titles, awards, and recognitions they earned but were denied because of policies that allowed biological males to compete in female categories." (Mendoza, 7/22)
The New York Times: Under Trump, Hospitals Limit Transgender Care For Minors, Even In Blue States
In Texas, Tennessee and other Republican-led states, legislators have passed scores of laws restricting the lives of transgender people. They have made it illegal for transgender minors to get certain medical treatments and have threatened to have their parents investigated. It made Jesse Thorn, the father of two transgender daughters, angry and sad. But he was never afraid. His family lives in California. “For months and months and months,” Mr. Thorn said, “when someone would say, ‘I’m so sorry this is happening to you,’ I would say, ‘Thank you for loving my family, but it’s not happening to me. My kids are fine. Let’s see what we can do to take care of other kids.’” All of that has changed. The clinic where Mr. Thorn’s family has received treatment for years is closing. (Cowan, 7/22)
