Secretary of State Marco Rubio has directed U.S. immigration officials to deny all trans athletes’ visas when they try to enter the country and to ban any athletes who are presenting as anything other than their birth sex on their visa applications. This message that Rubio sent seeks to mark all foreign transgender athletes as being fraudulent, thus qualifying them for being banned from the U.S. Rubio has also been tasked with banning trans athletes from competing in the 2028 Olympics which will be held in Los Angeles. Even if the athletes’ home countries allow for their gender marker to be changed on their birth certificates and other government-issued papers, the IOC (International Olympic Committee) complying with this message would still have them risk a permanent ban from the U.S. and having their visas revoked. This would also apply to athletes participating in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) and the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) as well as any other women’s international sports tournaments held in the country. The language of this particular attack on trans people is directed at trans women specifically because of Trump’s executive order that aims to “keep men out of women’s sports” even though we all know that trans women are not men. This ignorant order claims that having “men” compete in women’s sports is “unfair and dangerous to women and girls and denies women and girls the equal opportunity to participate and excel in competitive sports.” Still trying to vilify trans people as if expressing their gender identity the way they see fit is an attack on any and all cis people. But that’s the thing, white supremacists see any rejection of their teachings or rules as a dangerous threat because it loosens their control and influence.
The State Department releasing this message also follows the decision of NCAA president, Charlie Baker agreeing to ban trans women from competing in women’s sports at the collegiate level. It also comes after the Canadian 2SLGBTQIA+ group Eagle Canada has refused to attend any other in-person events held in the U.S. for fear for their member’s safety. That choice seems to have been the right one for Eagle Canada if they want their members to avoid harassment at the border about their chosen gender identities.
