South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem on Monday announced the formation of a national coalition to “Defend Title IX” to protect the rights of female athletes and keep competition fair. During a press conference Monday morning, Noem said, “Today we’re announcing that we’re forming a coalition called DefendTitleIXNow.com,” referring to the federal law that prohibits discrimination based on sex in educational programs and activities. “The coalition will consist of athletes, leaders, and everybody who cares about protecting women’s sports.” Noem said that the coalition is separate from the debate surrounding House Bill 1217, titled Promote Continued Fairness in Women’s Sports, which bars biological males from competing in women’s or girls’ sports, because the coalition’s focus will be on women’s rights and maintaining a fair competitive environment in women’s sports and Title IX, not transgender athletes rights. However, the governor said one of the main motivators for creating the coalition is to build enough …