The New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) will not be altering its transgender policy for high school sports, despite a recent executive order from former President Donald Trump threatening to pull funding from schools that allow transgender women and girls to compete in female sports.
During last month’s Executive Committee meeting, NJSIAA legal counsel Steve Goodell reaffirmed the organization’s policy, stating there are no planned changes. Originally adopted in 2009 and amended in 2017, the policy allows transgender athletes to compete based on their gender identity or assigned sex at birth but prohibits switching teams mid-season. Schools may challenge an athlete’s eligibility if they believe competition is unfairly impacted.
“We have had no hearings, no controversies,” Goodell said. “No one has brought to our attention any transgender students. Our policy was designed to be consistent with state law.” He added that any disputes would be resolved between the school, student, and state, without NJSIAA involvement.
Unlike recent changes at the NCAA level, where transgender women were recently banned from women’s sports, NJSIAA has not adjusted its stance. The organization does not require medical testing, and transgender students must declare their gender identity before participating in high school athletics.
Additionally, Goodell discussed two recent legal challenges to NJSIAA’s transfer rules, both of which upheld existing policies. One case involved a female hockey player wanting to join a boys’ team, and another concerned a male wrestler transferring mid-season. In both instances, judges ruled in favor of NJSIAA, reinforcing the organization’s regulations.
For now, NJSIAA’s policies remain unchanged, maintaining its stance on both transgender athlete participation and transfer eligibility.
