Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger quietly rolls back Youngkin's plans to protect girls' sports

The withdrawal occurred July 30, 2026, but received little public attention until September. The administration did not issue a news release or publicly announce the decision.

OutKick has reached out to Spanberger's office for an explanation, but has not received a response.

The proposal had not yet become a finalized regulation. Its withdrawal ended the rulemaking process initiated under former Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin.

The withdrawn Board of Health action would have established a separate regulatory framework reaching organized female sports and sex-separated spaces across Virginia. With the July 30 withdrawal, there are no remaining actions listed under the proposed regulatory chapter. The athletes argued that the participation of biological males in women's sports and their access to female-designated facilities created physical and psychological harms for women and girls.

In August 2025, the Board of Health unanimously approved the petition by a 14-0 vote and authorized the state to begin developing the regulations.

According to the state's regulatory website, the proposed rules were intended to "prevent biological males from participating in organized female-only athletic teams and competitions in Virginia" and from entering designated female spaces where women and girls were likely to be in a state of undress.