Call for Federal Review
Representative Buddy Carter, a Republican from Georgia, has urged the Trump administration to conduct an investigation into the policies regarding transgender athletes at junior colleges. He expressed concerns that these policies might infringe upon Title IX and an executive order issued by President Trump that prohibits male participation in female sports.
Carter referenced a report highlighting how junior college sports authorities continue to permit students to compete based on their gender identity. This practice provides a pathway for transgender athletes who have been restricted from participating in women’s teams at many four-year institutions due to recent policy changes.
“As noted in the report, junior colleges still allow transgender athletes in women’s divisions, even as organizations like the NCAA and NAIA implement stricter rules against male participation in female categories,” Carter stated in his letter addressed to Attorney General Pam Bondi and Education Secretary Linda McMahon.
The letter emphasized significant concerns regarding fairness, safety, and equal opportunities for women in athletics. Carter requested an immediate review by the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Department of Education (DOE) concerning transgender athlete policies at three major junior college governing bodies: the National Junior College Athletic Association, California Community College Athletic Association, and Northwest Athletic Conference.
“Protecting the integrity of women’s sports is a fundamental civil rights responsibility. I urge swift action from both Departments,” said Carter, who is also running for the 2026 Republican nomination for the Senate seat currently held by Democrat Jon Ossoff.
Document: Letter from Rep. Buddy Carter Regarding Transgender Athlete Policies
The issue gained attention following a situation at Santa Rosa Junior College involving Ximena Gomez, a freshman on the women’s volleyball team who was identified as transgender by her teammates during the fall 2025 season.
This led three volleyball players to file a Title IX complaint against Santa Rosa Junior College and its governing body, known as 3C2A, which oversees 116 state junior colleges.
The complaint alleges that during a meeting on June 23, Santa Rosa’s Athletic Director Matt Markovich revealed that other transgender athletes are also competing in women’s sports within both the college and 3C2A jurisdictions.
A spokesperson for Santa Rosa stated that the college adheres to regulations set forth by California Community College Athletic Association regarding student eligibility and participation in athletic programs.
This topic has raised similar concerns within Georgia. Last year, officials from the University of Georgia System Board of Regents requested that NJCAA adopt policies aligned with NAIA’s guidelines on transgender athlete participation.
The NJCAA oversees over 500 two-year programs but allows individual institutions to determine how they navigate legal requirements specific to their regions. According to their bylaws handbook for 2025-26, allowing student-athletes to participate per local or federal law does not violate NJCAA regulations.
