White House defends order permitting trans athletes to compete in girls' sports: 'Trans rights are human rights'

White House press secretary Jen Psaki is defending President Joe Biden's executive order demanding schools permit transgender students be able to participate in sports based on their preferred gender identity.

What order is this?

Biden signed the executive order on Preventing and Combating Discrimination on the Basis of Gender Identity or Sexual Orientation on Jan. 21, which stated, "Every person should be treated with respect and dignity and should be able to live without fear, no matter who they are or whom they love. Children should be able to learn without worrying about whether they will be denied access to the restroom, the locker room, or the school sports."

What are the details?

According to Fox News, Psaki defended Biden's order on Tuesday.

After a reporter asked what "Biden's message was to school officials tackling the disputes regarding transgender and cisgender girls competing together," Psaki said that Biden's "belief is that trans rights are human rights."

The reporter added that the order could potentially lead to situations where "trans girls and cis girls" may "end up competing against each other," prompting litigation and more from parents, and added that the administration should clarify to local school officials how to handle such disputes.

"And that's why he signed that executive order," she added. "And in terms of the determinations by universities and colleges, I would certainly defer to them."

The Department of Education has yet to issue any official guidance on enforcing the executive order.

What else?

During Education Secretary nominee Miguel Cardona's confirmation hearing, Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) said that trans girls participating in women's sports "would completely destroy girls' athletics."

Cardona disagreed.

"I think it's the legal responsibility for schools to provide opportunities for students to participate in activities and this includes students who are transgender," Cardona reasoned.