Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., drew fire on social media Tuesday for a post he made about transgender athletes in women’s sports.
Durbin was one of the lawmakers who grilled NCAA President Charlie Baker on Capitol Hill. Durbin asked Baker how many athletes were in the collegiate league and how many of those athletes were transgender.
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Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., speaks on student loans Wednesday, December 4, 2024 on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib)
Baker said there are about 510,000 NCAA athletes and 10 or fewer are transgender.
“Let’s focus on ways to improve women’s sports,” Durbin wrote in X.
The senator faced criticism for his position on X.
Baker faced questions from Sens. John Kennedy, R-La., and Josh Hawley, R-Mo., on women’s sports participation and housing for those athletes.
Hawley and Baker clashed over NCAA policies that allowed trans athletes to compete on women’s teams. Hawley confronted Baker about the NCAA’s policy that “transgender student-athletes must be able to use the restroom, shower and restrooms consistent with their gender identity.”
NCAA PREZ SUGGESTS FEMALE ATHLETES TO USE OTHER FACILITIES IF YOU’RE NOT AFFORDABLE TO SHARE WITH TRANS PLAYERS
Committee Chairman Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., speaks during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Capitol Hill on Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024 in Washington, DC. (AP Photo/Mark Schifelbein)
Baker responded by emphasizing that other athletes have the option of finding other accommodations if they are uncomfortable with it.
Everyone should have the opportunity to use other services if they wish to do so,” said Baker.
Baker added that NCAA guidelines give institutions and organizations that host college sporting events, which he called “local,” the option to host athletes however they see fit.
“I believe that our guidelines give people the opportunity to choose how they choose to use their facilities,” said Baker. “We told the local people who were hosting our tournaments that they must build places for people to live.
Baker also initially refused to agree with the idea that natural men have physical advantages over female athletes. When asked by Seni. John Kennedy, R-La., whether trans athletes are better, Baker said the idea is debatable.
“There’s not a lot of research on it, but it’s debated,” Baker said.
Kennedy asked the question a second time, asking if Baker didn’t think “the natural man has an advantage every time he competes with the natural woman.”
The NCAA president changed his answer, saying, “I think the way you described it, yes, I would agree with you.”
When Baker was pressed on why he and the NCAA had not taken action to amend the policies to restrict the inclusion of women’s sports, he repeatedly cited federal law and recent state court decisions that allowed it. Kennedy strongly encouraged Baker to do something about it anyway.
NCAA President Charlie Baker speaks during a press conference celebrating the 25th anniversary of the NCAA moving its national office to Indianapolis on Tuesday, August 13, 2024 at NCAA Headquarters in Indianapolis. (Michelle Pemberton/IndyStar/USA TODAY NETWORK)
“Why don’t you go to Amazon and buy a spine online and take a stand?” Kennedy yelled at Baker.
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Trans inclusion in women’s sports has been a major issue in the US The issue has grown in recent years when Lia Thomas won the national women’s swimming championship and Blaire Fleming helped San Jose State women’s volleyball to appear in the Mountain West Conference Championship.
Fox News’ Jackson Thompson contributed to this report.
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