ST. PAUL – On October 22, the Minnesota Supreme Court ruled that preventing a transgender athlete - in this case a biological male – from competing in USA Powerlifting’s women’s division is “facially discriminatory” under Minnesota’s Human Rights Act.
State Representative Peggy Scott (R-Andover) found the decision troubling.
“It’s not outlandish to suggest that we are witnessing the dismantling of girls sports in the State of Minnesota,” Scott said. “Rulings like this will put girls in unsafe situations and at a competitive disadvantage, and as the chief-author of the Preserving Girls Sports Act I can tell you this decision is beyond disappointing.”
In essence, Scott said the Minnesota Supreme Court has decided girls-only sports are illegal in our state because they discriminate against biological boys who identify as transgender and want to participate with girls. Scott believes allowing biological males to compete with biological females in athletic competitions is a clear violation of Title IX, a federal prohibition on sex discrimination.
Scott’s Preserving Girls Sports Act would rectify this ordeal. Her proposal specifically states that only students of the female sex may participate in an elementary or secondary school athletic team or sport that an educational institution has restricted on the basis of sex to women or girls. If there is a dispute, a student must present a signed physician’s statement indicating the student’s sex is based solely on the student’s internal and external anatomy, natural occurring level of testosterone, and an analysis of the student’s chromosomes.
With the Minnesota House in a statistical tie between Republicans and Democrats, Scott said one brave Democrat will be needed to stand up for the rights of young women for her bill to move forward.
“How many more female athletes are going to lose championships and records because they were forced to compete against biological boys,” Scott wondered. “How many more young women need to be injured during athletic competitions against biological boys before our state decides enough is enough? Girls in the State of Minnesota need us to act on their behalf, and approving the Preserving Girls Sports Act is one of the best ways to do it.”