Attorneys general from 24 states are asking the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn a lower court ruling and uphold an Arizona law that bans biological boys from participating in girls' sports teams.
The petition was filed after a federal appeals court ruled that the law may violate the Constitution's Equal Protection Clause.
“To give girls a level playing field, sports teams are inherently gender-separated to ensure they don't compete against boys,” South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson said in a news release. “Arizona's law restricting women's sports teams to biological women is just common sense and protects girls from competing with larger, stronger men who identify as women.”
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alan wilson (Getty Images)
In addition to Mr. Wilson, the attorneys general supporting the petition are Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and Wyoming.
The petition points out that those states have laws similar to Arizona's that limit women's sports to biological women.
It also argues that the Equal Protection Clause does not prohibit states from offering separate sports teams for men, women, boys, and girls.
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Tuesday, February 28, 2023, in the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, DC. (Valerie Plesch/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
“In sports, equal access means a level playing field,” the attorneys general wrote in their brief. “And a level playing field usually means gender-separated sports teams so girls can compete against other girls.”
“It makes sense to differentiate based on differences in biology rather than gender identity, because it is differences in biology, not gender identity, that require separate teams in the first place. Well, biological males are, on average, stronger and faster than males.'' If the average physical differences of biological females didn't matter, there would be no need to segregate sports teams at all. “Sho,” they continued.
The petition argues that the Equal Protection Clause does not prohibit states from offering separate sports teams for men, women, boys, and girls. (Alison Diener/AFP via Getty Images)
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According to Wilson's news release, the attorney general told the high court that “the Constitution does not prohibit states from saving women's sports from unfair competition and providing meaningful athletic opportunities for girls and women. I am asking for clarification.
