Yesterday, Representative John Curtis (R-UT) and a coalition of Western lawmakers sent a letter to Mountain West Conference Commissioner Gloria Nevarez, urging the conference to protect the safety and fairness of women’s sports.

“Title IX recognizes the fundamental biological differences between men and women and allows each to pursue educational programs and activities equally, including athletics. Failure to recognize these biological differences between males and females puts our daughters and granddaughters in harm’s way,” wrote the lawmakers. “The Mountain West Conference is failing to create an environment that allows women to compete without fearing for their safety. As representatives of our states and as parents and grandparents, we demand you take action to reverse this unacceptable trend.”

In the letter, Curtis and his colleagues highlight the recent actions taken by other athletic bodies, such as the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), which unanimously voted to restrict participation in women’s sports to biological females. They call on the Mountain West Conference to adopt similar measures to ensure the safety and well-being of female student-athletes.

The letter also references incidents where schools within the Mountain West Conference had to forfeit games to safeguard their athletes. The lawmakers emphasized that local institutions are taking a stand to preserve fairness when the conference itself has not.

Curtis was joined by members of the Utah delegation including Senators Romney (R-UT), Lee (R-UT), and Reps. Owens (UT-04), Maloy (UT-02), and Moore (UT-01). Additional signatures were U.S. Senators Mike Crapo (R-ID), John Barrasso (R-WY), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), and U.S. Representatives Russ Fulcher (R-ID), Mike Simpson (R-ID), and Harriet Hageman (R-WY).

This request is a continuation of Curtis’ commitment to fairness and safety in athletic programs, building on his past efforts to strengthen Title IX and ensure equitable opportunities for women in sports across the country.

For the full text of the letter, please visit this link.

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