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U.S. Sen. Katie Britt, Republican of Alabama, seen at an event in Montgomery in November 2023, was among the Senate Republicans at a hearing on Sept. 23, 2026 pressing for more action to bar transgender athletes from women's sports. (Photo by Alander Rocha/Alabama Reflector)
WASHINGTON — Republicans on the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee used a hearing Wednesday to continue voicing opposition to transgender athletes competing in women’s sports, which the top Democrat on the panel called a distraction from cost-of-living issues voters are more concerned about.
Republicans, vying to defend their majority in the House and Senate in the midterm elections less than six weeks away, have pursued a broad anti-trans agenda alongside President Donald Trump’s administration. Republicans on Wednesday framed the issue as protecting women’s sports.
“Biological women should not be asked to accommodate men who, for reasons of identity or otherwise, choose to compete in (the) women’s category instead of (the) men’s or co-ed category,” said Sen. Chuck Grassley, chair of the Judiciary panel.
“Women were last to get the vote, to participate in professions, to serve on juries, get credit cards in their own names and so much more,” the Iowa Republican said. “Women should not again be asked to cede their opportunities just to make men comfortable.”
The GOP-led panel brought in advocates, who spoke out against transgender athletes’ participation in sports that align with their gender identity.
Dems absent
Democrats on the panel largely sat the hearing out, drawing the ire of GOP members.
In the only statement by a Democrat during the hearing, the panel’s ranking member, Sen. Dick Durbin, used his opening remarks to question his GOP counterparts’ priorities amid Americans’ affordability concerns.
“If you ask the American people, ‘What are the priority issues you hope Congress will address as soon as possible?’ the issue of this hearing would not be in the top 10, maybe not the top 20,” the Illinois Democrat said.
“People are concerned about the cost of living, they’re concerned about the ability to pay for the college education of their kids, they’re concerned about their utility bills, they’re concerned about their grocery bills — they want to know what we’re doing about it,” he added.
Republicans on the panel noted Democrats’ absence.
“Not one member on the other side of the aisle has had the respect for women to come in here and ask questions, to figure out how we get this right, how we stand up for fairness, for safety, for an opportunity for young women across the country,” GOP Sen. Katie Britt of Alabama said at the hearing. “It’s absolutely absurd.”
But Durbin pointed to a similar 2024 hearing that saw NCAA President Charlie Baker tell senators that of the more than half-million total athletes in NCAA schools, he knew of fewer than 10 who were transgender.
“We can all agree that we want to be fair and safe in women’s athletics, but this vendetta against a small number of people in the trans community affects everyone, including cisgender girls who can be subject to inappropriate gender verification checks,” Durbin said.
At a press conference after the hearing, GOP Sens. Ashley Moody of Florida, Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, Darline Graham of South Carolina and Britt, along with several athletes and advocates, continued to blast the inclusion of trans athletes on women’s sports teams.
“It shouldn’t be complicated,” Moody said. “Men do not belong in women’s sports. Women’s sports exist for a reason, and if we’re going to have women’s sports, we must protect women’s sports.”
Hot topic
The issue has been the subject of intense debate in recent years.
The House passed a bill in January 2025 that would bar trans students’ participation in women’s school sports teams consistent with their gender identity.
But Senate Democrats blocked an effort in March of that year aimed at imposing such a ban and codifying Trump’s 2025 executive order on the issue.
The U.S. Supreme Court in June upheld state laws banning transgender athletes from participating on women’s and girls’ sports teams.
The court’s decision — which has no impact on states without such bans — marked a major setback for transgender rights across the nation.
Meanwhile, a major bipartisan bill to regulate college athletes’ compensation and establish additional protections for women’s and Olympic sports continues to advance in the Senate.
Khyzyl Saleem created a Group B-inspired Hyundai Ioniq 5 N.
The concept ditches the EV powertrain for WRC turbo ICE power.
The ultra-aggressive bodykit takes cues from classic rally icons.
The Hyundai Ioniq 5 N is one of the most exciting performance-focused EVs, and while it is technically based on a crossover, it looks like a proper hot hatch. The sharp lines of the model inspired independent designer Khyzyl Saleem to create a wild concept, evoking the spirit of the Group B Rally icons from the ’80s.
The model is dressed with a custom bodykit, altering its proportions and making it look ready for the special stages. The front end has been redesigned with a pronounced carbon fiber splitter and extra LEDs on the vented hood.
The profile features ultra-wide fender extensions with integrated cooling intakes. The flying buttresses over the C-pillars are reminiscent of the Lancia Delta S4, which is a fitting homage since the greenhouse of the Ioniq 5 sends subtle Delta vibes.
The tail is even more aggressive with a massive wing and an equally large diffuser. The rally car treatment also includes Lexan windows, a roll cage, and a new set of five-spoke alloy wheels finished in black. The designer also created a slightly different version with a smaller rear wing and a bronze shade, looking like a homologation special.
Hyundai never experimented with a Group B entry, but they retain a strong presence in WRC, competing at the highest level against Toyota Gazoo Racing. The Korean automaker started with the Accent WRC in 2000, followed by the i20 WRC in 2014, and the more recent i20 N Rally1 in 2022. With the i20, Hyundai won two WRC Manufacturer’s titles in 2019 and 2020, and one Driver’s title in 2025 (Thierry Neuville).
Swapping EV For ICE?
Taking inspiration from Hyundai’s motorsport involvement and, despite the fully electric nature of the donor Ioniq 5, Khyzyl said he likes to imagine the concept with a combustion engine. More specifically he wants the “screaming” turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine from the WRC rally car – presumably in mid-ship position – although he would also consider rotary power.
After the latest regulatory changes that removed the hybrid boost from Rally1 contestants, the turbo engines have a maximum permitted output of 375 hp (280 kW / 380 PS). This is lower than the 641 hp (478 kW / 650 PS) from the dual electric motors of the roadgoing Ioniq 5 N, making us wonder if Hyundai could come up with a more potent hybrid setup.
In any case, the Group B-inspired Ioniq will likely stick to the digital world. Still, the project is part of a broader collaboration between Hyundai USA and Khyzyl Saleem. Last month, the company shared renderings of a Baja-inspired Santa Fe concept on social media, asking their followers which Hyundai model should the_kyza try next.
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