Attorney General Ken Paxton announced that he has filed a lawsuit against the NCAA, accusing the organization of deceptive marketing practices.
Paxton claims that the NCAA is misleading consumers by promoting sporting events as “women’s” competitions, only to allow biological males to compete alongside biological females in what he describes as “mixed-sex” contests.
The lawsuit alleges that the NCAA’s actions violate the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act, a law designed to protect consumers from being misled or deceived by false advertising. Paxton argues that when fans and athletes support women’s sports, they do so with the expectation that only women will compete.
The lawsuit specifically targets the NCAA’s failure to disclose which participants in women’s events are truly biological males. Paxton contends this practice creates confusion and deceives fans, sponsors, and athletes who have chosen to support and compete in women’s collegiate sports of all kinds.
In addition to misleading consumers, Paxton claims in the press release that “The NCAA is intentionally and knowingly jeopardizing the safety and wellbeing of women by deceptively changing women’s competitions into co-ed competitions.” He points to concerns about physical safety in contact sports, the potential for unfair competition, and the long-term impacts on the visibility and value of women’s athletics.
The Attorney General maintains that the issue is not one of gender identity but about maintaining fair and level playing fields in collegiate sports for female athletes in the future.
“When people watch a women’s volleyball game, for example, they expect to see women playing against other women — not biological males pretending to be something they are not. Radical ‘gender theory’ has no place in college sports,” Paxton added.
Paxton requested a court order for a permanent injunction against the NCAA in his filing. He is seeking either an outright ban on biological males competing in women’s sports or a requirement that the NCAA cease marketing these events as “women’s” competitions when they are, in fact, “mixed-sex” events.
The NCAA has yet to respond publicly to the lawsuit. However, the organization has previously supported policies that allow “transgender” athletes to compete in women’s sports if specific “criteria,” such as hormone levels, are met.
Many fans and analysts have argued that it gives unfair advantages to “transgender women,” particularly in physical sports where biological differences create an undeniable advantage.