Fact Check: "Attorney General Pamela Bondi and California officials are failing to protect girls on the playing field and in the locker room. The Department of Justice has filed suit."
What We Know
On July 9, 2025, Attorney General Pamela Bondi and Secretary of Education Linda McMahon announced that the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a lawsuit against California. The lawsuit alleges that California's policies regarding transgender athletes violate Title IX, which prohibits sex-based discrimination in federally funded education programs and activities. The DOJ claims that these policies allow male athletes to compete in female sports, which they argue undermines equal athletic opportunities for girls and creates a hostile educational environment (source-1, source-3).
In her statement, Bondi emphasized that California officials are not adequately protecting girls in sports, stating, "California officials are failing to protect girls on the playing field and in the locker room" (source-2). The lawsuit seeks to enforce federal civil rights laws and ensure that female student athletes are not subjected to unfair competition (source-4).
Analysis
The claim that Attorney General Bondi and California officials are failing to protect girls is supported by the DOJ's lawsuit, which explicitly states that California's policies violate Title IX. The lawsuit argues that allowing transgender girls (biological males) to compete in female sports creates an unfair advantage and undermines the opportunities available to female athletes (source-6).
However, the context of the lawsuit is critical. California Governor Gavin Newsom has publicly stated that the state is following existing laws that allow transgender individuals to participate in sports consistent with their gender identity, which was established by legislation passed in 2013. Newsom argues that the DOJ's interpretation of Title IX is not supported by any court ruling (source-4). This indicates a significant legal and ideological divide between state and federal interpretations of the law.
The sources used to support this claim are credible, including official statements from the DOJ and news reports from established outlets like CBS News and UPI. However, it's important to note that the DOJ's position is aligned with the Trump administration's policies, which may introduce a degree of political bias into the narrative surrounding the lawsuit (source-3, source-6).
Conclusion
The claim that Attorney General Pamela Bondi and California officials are failing to protect girls in sports is True. The DOJ has indeed filed a lawsuit against California, asserting that the state's policies violate Title IX and compromise the rights of female athletes. The lawsuit reflects a significant legal conflict between federal and state interpretations of civil rights laws regarding transgender participation in sports.
Sources
- Office of Public Affairs | Attorney General Bondi, Secretary ...
- Attorney General Pamela Bondi - X
- Trump administration sues California over transgender ...
- DOJ sues California over Title IX on transgender student athletes
- Attorney General Pamela Bondi (@AGPamBondi) / X
- Justice Department sues California over transgender ...
- Federal Justice Department Sues CA Over Allowing Trans ...
- DOJ slaps Title IX lawsuit on Maine over refusal to ban ...
