The Biden administration released a new proposal on Thursday that would forbid schools and colleges in the US from enacting blanket bans on transgender athletes participating in sports consistent with their gender identities. The move came in response to Republican-led states that have tried to prohibit trans athletes from competing on teams that align with their gender identities. The proposal would become part of Title IX, the 50-year-old law that prohibits sex discrimination in educational institutions that receive federal funding. The new rule would allow teams to develop eligibility criteria that could result in limits around trans athletes’ participation only if it served important educational objectives, such as fairness and safety. The proposed rule change allows elementary school students to participate in school sports consistent with their gender identity, though the impact could vary across numerous sports for older students. The new rule faces a lengthy approval process, as well as an almost certain challenge from opponents.