Minnesota AG Responds to Concerns Over Transgender Athletes in Girls’ Sports
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison addressed numerous school boards that were advocating for the exclusion of biological males from girls’ sports, stating that the issue “doesn’t hurt anyone.”
This response came after a letter from over 40 school board members who supported policy changes aimed at enforcing Title IX to protect girls’ sports. Ellison contended that allowing a limited number of transgender students to participate in school sports poses no harm, whereas excluding them could be damaging.
His comments contrast with the experiences shared by several female high school athletes in Minnesota, some of whom have taken legal action regarding the issue. For instance, three anonymous girls filed a lawsuit against the state Education Department earlier this spring, claiming they were compelled to compete against a transgender softball pitcher.
One plaintiff had previously shared with a news outlet about her feelings after facing a transgender pitcher, saying, “This issue has affected me in ways I never imagined. It’s completely unfair, and I hate that nothing is happening to change it. Boys shouldn’t be able to take away girls’ spots on their teams just because they’re capable. I hope more girls affected by this will stand up.”
Another anonymous athlete accused Ellison of endorsing policies that would permit transgender pitchers to compete against women, highlighting a sense of injustice regarding the situation.
Former White Bear Lake High School softball player Kendall Kotzmacher also expressed her distress about losing to a transgender pitcher at the state tournament, questioning how to cope with that reality.
In relation to the growing tensions over this matter, the U.S. Department of Education recently proposed changes to its transgender athlete policies. This follows an executive order from former President Trump, which aimed to prevent men from participating in women’s sports. Minnesota was among the early states to openly defy this order.
Ellison has responded by filing a lawsuit against the Trump administration over the executive order, taking a firm stand against potential interventions that could affect education funding for Minnesota’s children.
He concluded his remarks by asserting that excluding transgender students from sports violates the Minnesota Human Rights Act, thereby defending the rights of all students to participate in activities without discrimination.
