Former LSU basketball star Angel Reese called for protecting women’s athletics in a social media post on Monday.
The “Bayou Barbie” who helped lead the Tigers to an Elite Eight appearance in this year’s NCAA tournament did not explain why she posted about this issue on X.
But her short statement came days after the Biden administration revised Title IX sex discrimination regulations in a blow to women.
“[P]rotect young women in sports!!!” said Reese, who was drafted by the WNBA's Chicago Sky last week.
protect young women in sports!!!
— Angel Reese (@Reese10Angel) April 22, 2024
Her post had received more than 83,000 likes and 11,000 reposts by Tuesday morning.
While Reese offered no specifics, many concluded the 21-year-old forward was criticizing the White House's sweeping revision of federal education anti-discrimination law:
Hold up...absolutely this!
— Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) April 22, 2024
.@Reese10Angel needs to be clear about who she is talking about.
“Protect young biological XX women in sports.”
Human males should compete in men’s sports.
— Dr Suzanne Vierling (@suzannevierling) April 22, 2024
Kudos.
Didn't see this coming. https://t.co/yLREK0Ajzg
— Pete Mundo (@PeteMundo) April 23, 2024
Grew up studying title IX, and proud to see this young generation supporting women in sports! https://t.co/uFJENQHwtz
— Gregory Lund (@LundGregory) April 23, 2024
It takes an aweful amount of courage for a someone in your position to say something like this, even though it should be common sense. Gained a supporter today! Keep it going, no matter how intense the pressure becomes.
— Michael Holder (@mholder06) April 22, 2024
THANK YOU! 🙏🏻
— Ryan Fournier (@RyanAFournier) April 22, 2024
Last week, the administration of President Joe Biden changed the text of decades-old Title IX law to shield men who claim to be women (and vice versa) under rules that were originally written to protect female students.
Since 1972, a portion of Title IX has read:
“No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance …”
On Friday, Education Secretary Miguel Cardona announced the changes to the law.
“Biden's Title IX update stipulates protections from sex discrimination based gender identity for the first time," USA Today reported.
A Department of Education news release on Friday noted the new rule "protects against discrimination based on sex stereotypes, sexual orientation, gender identity, and sex characteristics."
The revisions -- which take effect in August -- do not specifically mention athletes claiming to be the opposite sex.
PBS suggested Biden had made a political calculation.
"The administration originally planned to include a new policy forbidding schools from enacting outright bans on transgender athletes, but that provision was put on hold," it said. "The delay is widely seen as a political maneuver during an election year in which Republicans have rallied around bans on transgender athletes in girls’ sports."
It is unclear if Reese was referring to the change in Title IX, broadly commenting on men in women’s sports or just sharing her view that sports are a positive outlet for girls and young women.
But the timing of her statement was interesting, given current events.
