Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger's administration slashes female-only sports protections

On July 30, 2026, Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger's administration withdrew a proposed regulation that would have banned transgender women and girls from participating in female-only sports teams and using female-only private spaces.

The regulatory action, titled “Regulations Governing Biological Sex Specific or Separated Spaces and Activities” (12 VAC 5-660) was a proposed Virginia regulatory action designed to prevent transgender women and girls, which were referred to in the document as "biological males", from participating on female-only sports teams and using female-only locker rooms and bathrooms, where individuals might be undressed.

The process began under former Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin's administration after female athletes petitioned the State Board of Health. The board unanimously approved the petition on August 18, 2025. According to the Virginia Regulatory Town Hall, the Virginia Department of Health intended to implement rules ensuring separate athletic teams and public spaces based strictly on biological sex. The proposal entered a Notice of Intended Regulatory Action (NOIRA) stage, and its public comment period ended on December 17, 2025.

Spanberger’s decision halted a rulemaking process initiated under former Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin. The process originally began in 2025 after a petition was filed by female athletes, including former Virginia Tech swimmer Réka György and Roanoke College swimmer Lily Mullens.

The problem is not only the withdrawal, but administration did not issue a news release or make a public announcement. The change was only discovered much later when it appeared on the Virginia Regulatory Town Hall website. State Health Commissioner Dr. Cameron Webb noted that following a legal review, the administration decided not to proceed because the proposed rules fell outside the state's statutory authority.

Critics and political commentators have slammed the administration for "burying" the decision on a government website. Conversely, Governor Spanberger defended her general stance on LGBTQ+ protections during a recent appearance at Virginia Pridefest, stating she wants to ensure the community knows they have a governor who values them.