Massive BACKLASH: Texas vs. U.S.M.S.

The Texas Attorney General is taking a bold stand against U.S. Masters Swimming over trans athletes competing in women’s events—setting the stage for a landmark legal clash with nationwide repercussions.

Texas Attorney General Sues USMS, Citing Deceptive Practices Over Transgender Policy https://t.co/rMr8H2iKvC

— SwimSwam (@swimswamnews) July 18, 2025

At a Glance

• Texas AG Ken Paxton is suing U.S. Masters Swimming for allowing transgender women to compete in female categories.
• The lawsuit was prompted by a transgender athlete’s victories at a national competition in San Antonio.
• The suit alleges USMS violated the state’s Deceptive Trade Practices Act.
• The legal battle could set a national precedent and has already been echoed by threats of similar action from Florida.

Texas Sues to Protect Women’s Sports

In a move to protect female athletes, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has launched a high-profile lawsuit against U.S. Masters Swimming (USMS). The legal action was prompted by the April 2025 USMS Spring Nationals in San Antonio, where a 47-year-old transgender woman, Ana Caldas, won five events in the women’s age group category, sparking outrage from competitors and observers.

The lawsuit, announced on July 17, accuses USMS of engaging in “false, deceptive, and misleading practices” by allowing biological men to compete in events advertised as being for women. “U.S. Masters Swimming’s insane policy…is both deeply unfair to female competitors and unlawful,” Paxton said. “The organization has cowered to radical activists pushing gender warfare.”

A Last-Ditch Policy Change Fails to Stop Lawsuit

Facing an investigation from the Attorney General’s office, USMS scrambled to change its rules. On July 1, the organization implemented a new interim policy that, while still allowing transgender women to swim in the women’s category, makes them ineligible for official awards, records, or rankings.

For Paxton, this was too little, too late. The lawsuit argues that the new policy is a hollow gesture that still allows men to swim in women’s lanes, undermining the integrity of the competition. The legal action seeks to hold USMS accountable for years of what it calls deceptive practices.

A National Battle for Fairness

This isn’t just a Texas issue. The fight to protect women’s sports is a national battle. Just days before Paxton’s lawsuit, Florida’s Attorney General, James Uthmeier, threatened similar legal action against USMS. The legal pressure from conservative states is mounting.

The clash puts the NCAA and other national sports organizations on notice. As states pass laws to protect female athletes, these organizations can no longer hide behind “inclusive” policies that ignore biological reality. The lawsuit against USMS is a landmark moment in the fight to restore fairness and common sense to women’s sports.