The United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana has granted Attorney General Knudsen's request for a preliminary injunction against the Biden administration's Title IX rule. This rule, according to Knudsen, compromises the rights and safety of girls and young women.
In response to the court's decision, Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen stated, "This is a big win for women’s rights. This decision will keep young women and girls protected from dangerous situations, just as Title IX has done for decades. In issuing the rule, President Biden abandoned scientific reality, put women’s rights at risk, and overstepped his authority. As attorney general, I will continue to fight to protect all Montanans from federal overreach."
Attorney General Knudsen initiated legal action against the Department of Education's rule in April. The contested rule expanded Title IX—which prohibits discrimination in education based on sex—to include "gender identity." Critics argue that this expansion could prevent schools from distinguishing between males and females in athletic and educational opportunities, placing women at an unfair disadvantage. It would also require boys and girls to share bathrooms, locker rooms, dorms, and overnight lodging during school trips.
Knudsen contends that this rule would hinder progress toward equal opportunity for women in education programs nationwide and within Montana.
Montana, along with Louisiana, Mississippi, and Idaho—the other plaintiff states—are the first to secure an injunction against this rule.