Texas Sues US Masters Swimming Over Gender Eligibility Policies

The Texas Attorney General has filed a lawsuit against US Masters Swimming (USMS), an organization with over 60,000 adult swimmers, following a recent competition in San Antonio where a transgender athlete secured five gold medals in women’s events. Several female competitors reported they were unaware the athlete was male.

Attorney General Ken Paxton accused USMS of engaging in deceptive practices by permitting transgender women to compete in women’s categories, claiming the organization is capitulating to radical activism and undermining fairness in women’s sports. The lawsuit alleges violations of legal standards by allowing men to participate in women’s events.

The controversy centers around Ana Caldas, a 47-year-old transgender swimmer who dominated all five races in the women’s 45-49 age group, including breaststroke, freestyle, and medley events. Some competitors, like Wendy Enderle and Angie Griffin, expressed shock after discovering Caldas’s gender identity, criticizing the lack of transparency and fairness.

Enderle, who met Caldas in January, noted the athlete’s muscular build and height but believed Caldas to be female until she learned otherwise recently. Griffin, who competed against Caldas, voiced concern about the integrity of the competition and the fairness of allowing transgender athletes to compete in women’s categories.

In response, USMS recently updated its guidelines, allowing members to register based on their gender identity or expression, with certain restrictions. The new rules specify that women’s recognition programs are open to those who are biologically female at birth or can establish such eligibility if they are transgender. However, critics argue the policies still enable biological males to compete alongside women without sufficient safeguards.

This clash highlights ongoing debates over fairness and inclusivity in women’s sports, especially regarding transgender athletes and competition regulations.