Minnesota Attorney General Defends Transgender Participation in Women’s Sports
Keith Ellison, the Attorney General of Minnesota, asserted that allowing men to compete in women’s sports doesn’t harm anyone, while the Trump administration is urging the state to address alleged violations of Title IX.
During a news conference on Tuesday, Ellison supported the state’s policy of permitting transgender students to join school sports teams. He stated, “Allowing a small number of Minnesota’s transgender students to participate doesn’t hurt anyone, but excluding them does.” He went on to say that such exclusion contradicts the Minnesota Human Rights Act, which has long upheld the rights of transgender children to engage in extracurricular activities.
In late September, the Trump administration declared that Minnesota is in violation of Title IX regarding its approach to women’s sports. According to reports, the Department of Education (ED) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) accused the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) and the Minnesota High School League (MSHSL) of violating Title IX due to a policy that favors “gender identity” over biological sex.
ED noted that its investigation uncovered instances where male athletes were allowed to compete on various women’s sports teams, including skiing, lacrosse, track and field, volleyball, and softball. This probe was launched after MSHSL publicly committed to following state laws that prioritize gender identity over federal anti-discrimination laws, alongside President Trump’s orders about keeping men out of women’s sports. By June, HHS began its own review after transgender male athletes from Champlin Park High School achieved multiple victories in girls’ softball, including a state championship.
The Department of Education has given Minnesota a deadline of ten days to reach an agreement or possibly face a loss of federal funding. However, Ellison has made it clear that he won’t be backing down from this stance.
“I share concerns about the administration’s threat to cut education funding for children across Minnesota, but this matter is currently in legal dispute,” he mentioned.
