Minnesota Supreme Court Ruling on Transgender Athlete
The Minnesota Supreme Court has determined that USA Powerlifting discriminated against a transgender male athlete by barring him from competing in women’s events back in 2018. The ruling was unanimous, with most justices appointed by Democratic governors.
Transgender athlete Jaycee Cooper filed a lawsuit in 2021, claiming that USA Powerlifting’s actions violated the Minnesota Human Rights Act after they denied her application to participate in the women’s division.
The court found that USA Powerlifting’s prior policy essentially excluded transgender women from competing, which was viewed as evidence of discriminatory intent. Chief Justice Natalie Hudson emphasized this point, noting that there was no genuine dispute that Cooper’s transgender status played a role in the organization’s decision to prevent her from competing.
However, the court also ordered that part of the case be revisited by a lower court to assess whether USA Powerlifting might have had a “legitimate business reason” for its policy.
Initially, a lower court had sided with Cooper in 2023, leading to an appeal in which the Minnesota Court of Appeals pointed out that there were significant factual questions about whether the exclusion was based on Cooper’s transgender identity. As a result, the state Supreme Court chose to review the case in July 2024.
USA Powerlifting has argued that allowing transgender women to compete in the women’s division would disadvantage cisgender women. The organization stated that its efforts are focused on fair play and inclusivity, citing the establishment of an open division in 2021 for all gender identities, including transgender and non-binary athletes.
A lawyer representing USA Powerlifting described the court’s ruling as a partial victory for both parties involved. Meanwhile, Minnesota Republicans criticized the decision, insisting it undermines the progress made for women’s rights in sports.
House Speaker Lisa Demuth expressed disappointment, arguing that the ruling jeopardizes the safety and fairness of women’s sports and reaffirmed the commitment of House Republicans to address this issue in the upcoming legislative session.
