Florida AG threatens legal action against U.S. Masters Swimming over gender policy

On July 15, 2025, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier held a press conference in Orlando where he expressed serious concerns over the gender participation policy of U.S. Masters Swimming (USMS). The policy allows biological male members to compete against females and enter women's locker rooms, a practice Uthmeier claims violates Florida law. He demanded that the organization certify that it would not permit any biological men to compete in women's sports or access their locker rooms, threatening legal action if they fail to comply. Uthmeier's stance reflects Florida's conservative values and the ongoing national discourse on transgender participation in competitive sports. The USMS Board of Directors had recently updated its policy to permit members to choose competition categories aligned with their gender identity, but Uthmeier finds this insufficient. He emphasized that biological sex should dictate participation in women's recognition programs, stating that women deserve fair competition free from advantages often cited when transgender women compete. The policy stipulates that members must compete in categories aligned with their sex assigned at birth to be eligible for women's recognition programs. Furthermore, Uthmeier referenced ongoing scrutiny over transgender athletes in competitive swimming, which has become a contentious issue in both state and national politics. This heightened scrutiny follows incidents such as the victory of a transgender swimmer who claimed five gold medals in women's events earlier this year. These events have led to investigations in several states regarding whether such policies violate consumer protection laws. The Attorney General reiterated his commitment to protect women and girls in sports while denouncing the organization's current stance as unacceptable. He argued that the conversation around this topic should focus on the realities of biological sex and fairness in sporting events. With the growing divide between progressive and conservative views on this subject, Uthmeier vowed to utilize all legal tools available to ensure compliance and protect the integrity of women's sports in Florida.