Texas Tech Orders Two-Sex Standard And Halts Gender Identity Academic Programs
Texas Tech University in Lubbock this week said it will recognize only two sexes and freeze programs on gender identity, citing a policy review.
University leaders said the pause will allow administrators to review curricula and campus policy, assess academic standards, and consider compliance with state and system guidance. Students, faculty and advocacy groups reacted quickly on social media and in statements, with supporters praising clarity and critics saying the move erases transgender and nonbinary experiences.
The freeze affects courses, research initiatives and hiring tied to gender-identity studies, officials said, and could alter degree programs if reviews find them outside approved academic scope. Critics warned about chilling effects on academic freedom and student support services, while university trustees said reviews will be time-limited and aimed at ensuring scholarly rigor.
đ Key Facts
- April 9 memo from Texas Tech directs the university to recognize only two human sexes, male and female
- The memo orders closure of all academic credentials centered on sexual orientation and gender identity and freezes related gender programming
- Core and lower-level undergraduate courses face a strict prohibition on SOGI content, with narrow exemptions for some upper-level and graduate courses
- Policy stems from a December 2025 course review tied to Texas Senate Bill 37, which increased state oversight of college curriculum
- Faculty are barred from teaching gender identity as a fluid spectrum or endorsing more than two genders, though intersex conditions may be discussed in a strictly biological context
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