RELEASE: Rep. Duane Quam Reacts to Minnesota Supreme Court Opinion on USA Powerlifting

ST. PAUL, MN — Representative Duane Quam (R–Byron) issued the following statement regarding the recent Minnesota Supreme Court decision that may have disastrous implications for women's athletics in Minnesota:

"Today's court decision opens the door for it to be discrimination under the Minnesota Human Rights Act for there to be girls' or women's-only sports when those sports exclude males based on sex," Quam said. "The interpretation tramples the core of Title IX, female athletics, and the biological reality that males and females are physiologically different. Disregarding those differences isn't fair for girls and women, and it denies science.”

Quam continued, "I have been working for years to make Minnesota law reflect both fairness and biology. I've authored legislation to protect student privacy in locker rooms and restrooms, as well as ensure athletic eligibility is based on biological sex, not identity or interpretation. My bill, HF 565, simply says individuals with a Y chromosome (born male) cannot compete on athletic teams reserved for females. It’s about fairness, safety, privacy, and opportunity for women and girls.”

In addition to Quam’s legislation, House Republicans introduced HF 12 and HF 1233 last session to both preserve the integrity of women’s sports and ensure Minnesota’s women and girls can compete on a truly level playing field. Unfortunately, House Democrats blocked all three bills from becoming law. Republicans plan to reintroduce the legislation when session begins next February.

“Every athlete deserves a fair chance to compete,” Quam added. “Women shouldn’t lose scholarships, championships, or their safety because our laws fail to recognize biological differences. I’ll keep fighting to ensure that science and fairness prevail over ideology when we create policy. There are also at least two cases regarding transgender athletes pending before the United States Supreme Court this coming term, and a federal decision will supersede state law.”

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