Marco Rubio to permanently ban foreign trans athletes from entering the US

[Jessica_Rose]

Marco Rubio to permanently ban foreign trans athletes from entering the US

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/marco-rubio-to-permanently-ban-foreign-trans-athletes-from-entering-the-us/ar-AA1zPoXH?ocid=hpmsn&cvid=3cef46982f91479fa38e8617de305c8a&ei=6

Story by Daniel Villarreal (26 Feb 2025)

The State Department told U.S. immigration officials around the world to deny visas to transgender athletes attempting to enter the U.S. and to permanently ban any athletes who "misrepresent" their birth sex on visa applications. An ACLU lawyer has called the move "alarming" and notes that the law used to justify the ban was previously used to deny U.S. entry to fraudulent criminals.

The February 24 message, authored by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, directs U.S. consulates and immigration offices worldwide to ban trans visa applicants under a section of the 1952 Immigration and Nationality Act that issues a "permanent fraud bar" for people who lie on their visa applications, The Guardian reported. The "fraud bar" would issue a lifetime exclusion against trans applicants with few waivers to overturn it.

Rubio issued the message following President Donald Trump's executive order calling for a national and international ban on trans female athletes from girls' and women's sports. Trump's order explicitly opposes the policies of numerous international sports governing bodies that allow trans women to compete alongside cis women. The order called on those bodies and foreign governments to pass their own anti-trans sports bans as well.

Now, any foreign-born trans athletes who compete will risk having their visas revoked and getting permanently banned from the United States, even if their home countries' laws allow them to change the gender listed on their birth certificates and other government-issued identification documents.

[Iztaccihuatl]

It'll be interesting to see what the IOC does in regards to the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Normally a host nation agrees to issue visa to all accredited athletes and coaches. If this current regulation stands and the IOC has any balls (which is questionable), they would need to take the '28 games away from LA and move them to another country that does issue visa to all athletes.

[Sephirah]

It'll be interesting to see what the IOC does in regards to the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Normally a host nation agrees to issue visa to all accredited athletes and coaches. If this current regulation stands and the IOC has any balls (which is questionable), they would need to take the '28 games away from LA and move them to another country that does issue visa to all athletes.

They should do that. The way this is going on. Treat the US the same way they look on countries that ban women athletes. It's the same kind of narrow mindedness. Although California has always been more on board with people being people. If only state level sense made up for country wide idiocy.

[MaryT]

It'll be interesting to see what the IOC does in regards to the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Normally a host nation agrees to issue visa to all accredited athletes and coaches. If this current regulation stands and the IOC has any balls (which is questionable), they would need to take the '28 games away from LA and move them to another country that does issue visa to all athletes.

At the moment, that seems like a good idea, as the IOC currently has, I think, a sensible attitude to transgender athletes:

https://www.olympics.com/ioc/human-rights/fairness-inclusion-nondiscrimination

https://stillmed.olympics.com/media/Documents/Beyond-the-Games/Human-Rights/IOC-Framework-Fairness-Inclusion-Non-discrimination-2021.pdf#page=1

However, if Britain's Sebastian Coe becomes the IOC president, there may be no reason to take the games away from LA:

https://news.sky.com/story/lord-coe-to-explore-complete-transgender-ban-in-womens-olympic-events-if-he-becomes-ioc-chief-13276533

[Sephirah]

Yeah him and Sharon Davies are very outspoken in Britain. But then they did both win medals. And would probably feel massively threatened if trans athletes were allowed to compete.

They are firmly in the "hug a Rowling" crowd.

[Lexxi]

If the rest of the world keeps letting bigots like the ones running the U.S. government get away with their bigotry then there's no hope for anyone. If other countries, and the IOC, stand up to this failing government and give them a spanking, then things MAY start to change.

But I have no faith that anyone will do the right thing anymore where trans people are concerned. Sadly we're just not strong enough to fight back. The only way we can even make a dent in things is through boycotts, and most people won't do what they need to do to boycott things. They're more interested in their own interests in things like sports, or shop in their favorite places.

I'm a big sports fan and because the NFL bowed down to our head bigot I boycotted the Super Bowl. It was the first one I missed since the 80s. I also boycotted the Daytona 500. I figured if either organization celebrates a noted bigot and traitor then I don't want any of what they're selling. I'll also be boycotting the Olympics too unless things change.

It makes me feel better to fight back a tiny bit.

[ChrissyRyan]

I wonder if foreign transfolk will all be banned from entering the country for visiting family, tourism, or conducting business.  I do not think that will be the case.  There are countries who do not want transfolk around.

[Sephirah]

If the rest of the world keeps letting bigots like the ones running the U.S. government get away with their bigotry then there's no hope for anyone. If other countries, and the IOC, stand up to this failing government and give them a spanking, then things MAY start to change.

But I have no faith that anyone will do the right thing anymore where trans people are concerned. Sadly we're just not strong enough to fight back. The only way we can even make a dent in things is through boycotts, and most people won't do what they need to do to boycott things. They're more interested in their own interests in things like sports, or shop in their favorite places.

I'm a big sports fan and because the NFL bowed down to our head bigot I boycotted the Super Bowl. It was the first one I missed since the 80s. I also boycotted the Daytona 500. I figured if either organization celebrates a noted bigot and traitor then I don't want any of what they're selling. I'll also be boycotting the Olympics too unless things change.

It makes me feel better to fight back a tiny bit.

Lexxi, people like you will be the change in the world. We need probably 400 million more Lexxi's, and your country might get its head out of its... uhm... rhymes with "Pass".

Be the change you want to see. Ghandi had it right. You can't sit on your hands, doing nothing, and complain.

[MaryT]

I read on BBC teletext that Zimbabwean Kirsty Coventry is the new IOC president.  She said

"It's a signal that we're truly global and that we have evolved into an organisation that is truly open to diversity and we're going to continue walking that road in the next eight years."

The article closed with

"She placed particular emphasis on protecting female sport, backing a blanket ban of transgender women from competing in female Olympic sport."

The Los Angeles Olympics are safe.