A federal judge in Texas just slammed the brakes on Biden’s push to redefine workplace rules using progressive ideology.
On May 15, 2025, Judge Matthew J. Kacsmaryk struck down parts of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s (EEOC) guidance on gender-based discrimination, according to The Epoch Times.
In April 2024, the EEOC issued guidance claiming that failing to use a transgender employee’s preferred pronouns or allowing sex-specific dress codes was discriminatory harassment.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and the Heritage Foundation filed a lawsuit in August 2024 to challenge it. Kacsmaryk’s 34-page decision on May 15, 2025, vacated those rules, arguing they stretched Title VII’s definition of “sex” beyond its original meaning.
Title VII, the cornerstone of workplace protections, guards against discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, and national origin. The EEOC’s guidance tried to expand “sex” to include gender identity, mandating accommodations like bathroom access and pronoun usage. Kacsmaryk ruled that this move ignored the law’s focus on biological reality.
Ken Paxton called the ruling “a great victory for common sense.” He argued, “The federal government has no right to force Texans to play along with delusions or ignore biological reality in our workplaces.” Someone’s finally standing up to bureaucratic overreach, reminding us that laws aren’t playdough for activists to reshape.
The Heritage Foundation’s Kevin Roberts echoed Paxton’s enthusiasm, calling it “more than a legal victory.”
He said, “It says no you don’t have to surrender common sense at the altar of leftist ideology.” Roberts’ point cuts sharply: workplaces shouldn’t be ideological battlegrounds where employees fear speaking plainly.
The lawsuit wasn’t without opposition. The National Women’s Law Center (NWLC) filed an amicus brief in November 2024, defending the EEOC’s guidance. They argued it protected LGBTQIA+ workers from harassment, but Kacsmaryk wasn’t convinced.
Liz Theran of the NWLC criticized the ruling as “blatantly at odds with Supreme Court precedent.” She’s got a point about legal consistency, but Supreme Court rulings don’t grant the EEOC a blank check to rewrite Title VII. The judge’s decision keeps the law tethered to its original intent.
Theran also warned, “This decision does not change the law, but it will make it harder for LGBTQIA+ workers to enforce their rights.”
Her concern for workers’ rights is valid, yet forcing employers to police speech risks creating new forms of workplace tension. Balance matters, and the ruling leans toward clarity over chaos.
The EEOC’s guidance stemmed from real-world issues. In fiscal year 2023, the agency received over 3,000 charges related to discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Those numbers show the stakes, but they don’t justify bending federal law to fit a progressive agenda.
Kacsmaryk’s ruling doesn’t erase Title VII’s protections but reins in the EEOC’s attempt to stretch them. Employers now have clearer boundaries, free from mandates to enforce pronoun preferences or scrap dress codes. It’s a win for those who value straightforward rules over ideological conformity.
The Epoch Times sought comment from the EEOC, but the agency stayed silent. Their lack of response speaks volumes—perhaps they’re rethinking their approach after this legal smackdown. Silence isn’t strategy, though; it’s a missed chance to clarify their stance.
Paxton’s lawsuit targeted specific overreaches, like mandating bathroom access based on gender identity. The judge agreed these rules went too far, prioritizing ideological goals over legal limits. It’s a reminder: good intentions don’t trump statutory authority.
Roberts’ quip about not having to “lie to keep your job” resonates with many. Workers shouldn’t face pressure to conform to speech codes that conflict with reality. The ruling protects their freedom to focus on work, not woke wordplay.
The NWLC’s brief emphasized fairness for transgender employees, a goal few would dispute. Yet, fairness doesn’t mean rewriting laws to mandate pronoun usage or unisex policies. True equality respects everyone without forcing ideological compliance.
This ruling sends a message: federal agencies can’t rewrite laws to fit cultural trends. Kacsmaryk’s decision restores Title VII’s focus on biological sex, ensuring workplaces remain grounded in reality. For now, common sense has the last word.