A federal judge in Louisiana has issued a preliminary injunction preventing the Biden administration from enforcing new federal protections for LGBTQ+ students in four GOP-led states. On June 13, 2024, US District Judge Terry Doughty blocked the implementation of these protections in Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, and Idaho. These protections, set to take effect on August 1, aim to expand Title IX to include discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity, sex stereotypes, and sex characteristics.
The GOP-led states’ lawsuits argue that the Biden administration surpassed its authority by finalizing these changes without clear congressional approval. Judge Doughty agreed, stating that the Department of Education's new rules are "inconsistent with the text, structure, and purpose of Title IX."
The protections, part of the 1972 federal law prohibiting sex-based discrimination in federally funded schools, also expand the definition of sex discrimination to cover pregnancy-related conditions. The injunction will remain in effect until the lawsuits are resolved or a higher court reverses the decision. The Department of Education has not yet commented on the ruling.