However, Biden's order reaches beyond sports and is an attempt to completely change the culture in schools receiving federal funding, she said.
"All students will be taught the language and worldview of gender ideology, as if gender ideology were grounded in facts rather than ideological beliefs. Children will be taught that it is 'discriminatory' to refuse to affirm the "transgender" identity asserted by a teacher or classmate," she said.
Furthermore, the policy could ostracize students who are in any way opposed to gender ideology at schools.
"It's already trendy for middle and high school adolescents to choose edgy identity labels for themselves, such as 'pansexual, bi-sexual, or gender-queer,' without really understanding the implications," Hasson noted.
"Peer pressure and school policies will pressure kids into conforming and 'exploring' new 'sexualities and genders,' or risk ridicule or shame for refusing to go along with it," she said.
The order would remove due process protections for those who disagree with gender ideology at schools, the ADF representative said.
Religious schools could be affected by the new order, as Title IX applies to federally-funded education activities. Many private schools accept federal funding in some form.
"I expect to see lawsuits brought by faith-based schools as well as by teachers and administrators who have conscience-based objections to participating in the promotion of gender ideology," Hasson said.
She added that Catholic schools may have to stop receiving federal funding in order to uphold Church teaching in their curricula and policies.
"The Church may well come to a crossroads where, to be faithful to the Gospel, she will have to spurn government money that comes with ideological strings attached," Hasson said.
The policy underscores the need for authentic Catholic education as an antidote to gender ideology, Hasson said.
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"Gender ideology, in many respects, looks very much like a quasi-religious cult. Parents need educational alternatives that will allow them to raise their children without fear of indoctrination. They need authentic Catholic education, in all its varieties. And they need it now," she said.
Matt Hadro was the political editor at Catholic News Agency through October 2021. He previously worked as CNA senior D.C. correspondent and as a press secretary for U.S. Congressman Chris Smith.