A federal appeals court in Connecticut ruled Friday that boys may compete as girls in high school sports and compete on female teams.
The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference, which allows boys to compete in girls sports, saying that not allowing transgender youth to compete on female teams was discrimination and a violation of the federal law known as Title IX.
Title IX prohibits gender-based discrimination in any school or any other education program that receives federal funding. Across Alaska, boys are now competing with girls on track teams and in other sporting competitions. In the NCAA, male-to-female swimmer Lia Thomas captured the title for fastest 500-yard at the Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships, although he had competed as a male just two years earlier.
Alliance Defending Freedom Senior Counsel Christiana Kiefer said, “The 2nd Circuit got it wrong, and we’re evaluating all legal options, including appeal. Our clients—like all female athletes—deserve access to fair competition. Thankfully, a growing number of states are stepping up to protect women’s athletics. Right now, 18 states have enacted laws that protect women and girls from having to compete against males, and polls show that a majority of Americans agree that the competition is no longer fair when males are permitted to compete in women’s sports. Every woman deserves the respect and dignity that comes with having an equal opportunity to excel and win in athletics, and ADF remains committed to protecting the future of women’s sports.”
The Alliance Defending Freedom filed the lawsuit on behalf of four female athletes who were deprived of honors and opportunities to compete at elite levels because the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference adopted a policy that allows males who identify as female to compete in girls’ athletic events:
Starting in 2017, two male athletes began competing in Connecticut girls’ high school track. In just three years, those two males broke 17 girls’ track meet records, deprived girls of more than 85 opportunities to advance to the next level of competition and took 15 women’s state track championship titles. Four of those championship titles were earned by ADF’s client, Chelsea Mitchell.
Four times she was the fastest female in a women’s state championship race, and four times she watched that title, honor, and recognition go to a male athlete instead. Over the course of her high school career, Mitchell lost to these males more than 20 times, the Alliance said.
The other female athletes represented in this case, Selina Soule, Alanna Smith, and Ashley Nicoletti, all likewise have been denied medals, placements, or advancement opportunities because of the male athletes competing on their team.
The ruling for the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference is a victory for males who identify as females and play in female’s sports, and use their unfair biological advantage to deny females a fair field of competition.
Across Alaska, school districts are allowing boys to compete against girls in athletics. The Mat-Su Borough School District is an exception, and appears to be willing to forgo federal funds in order to protect female athletes.
Read more at Alliance Defending Freedom.
