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RELEASE: Rep. Gillman Responds to Minnesota Supreme Court Ruling: “Fairness in Girls’ Sports Is Worth Fighting For”

Wednesday, October 22, 2025

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October 22, 2025

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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Dominica Bernstein, 651.297.8150
Dominica.Bernstein@house.mn.gov

 


News Release 

Rep. Gillman Responds to Minnesota Supreme Court Ruling: “Fairness in Girls’ Sports Is Worth Fighting For”

ST. PAUL, MN — Representative Dawn Gillman (R-Dassel) issued the following statement today in response to the Minnesota Supreme Court’s ruling reaffirming that the Minnesota Human Rights Act (MHRA) prohibits public accommodations from excluding individuals based on transgender status—a decision that effectively eliminates sex-based distinctions in girls’ and women’s sports in Minnesota:

“Today’s Minnesota Supreme Court ruling is a tough one to swallow for every mom, dad, coach, and young woman who believes in fairness. The Court’s decision has effectively erased decades of progress by declaring that it’s ‘discrimination’ to keep girls’ sports for girls.

For over fifty years, Title IX has opened doors for women and girls to compete, to lead, and to thrive. That progress didn’t come easy—it was earned through generations of determination and sacrifice. And now, in one ruling, those hard-won opportunities are being put at risk.

I’ve seen firsthand what sports teach our daughters: teamwork, confidence, and the reward of hard work. But those lessons only matter if the competition is fair. No young woman should have to lose out on a championship, a scholarship, or a record because she was forced to compete against a biological male. That’s not equality—it’s injustice disguised as inclusion.

This isn’t about politics—it’s about protecting the promise we made to our daughters. House Republicans have already led the way with House File 12, which reaffirms the simple truth that girls’ sports are for biological females.

Fairness. Safety. Opportunity. Those principles built women’s sports, and I won’t stop standing up for them.”

Gillman, who serves House District 17A, has been a leading advocate for policies that protect the integrity of girls’ and women’s athletics. Earlier this session, she supported House File 12, legislation that would ensure fairness and safety in female sports by clarifying that participation is reserved for biological females—upholding the intent of Title IX.

“Parents, athletes, and communities across Minnesota understand that fairness isn’t controversial—it’s common sense,” Gillman said. “This ruling shows exactly why we need to act. Our daughters deserve better.”

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