Minnesota Supreme Court hands legal win to transgender athletes

The Minnesota Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that USA Powerlifting discriminated against transgender athlete JayCee Cooper by barring her from competing in the women’s division.

Why It Matters

The justices found the organization’s policy violated the state’s Human Rights Act, which protects individuals from discrimination based on gender identity.

However, the court sent part of the case back to a lower court to decide whether USA Powerlifting has a “legitimate business purpose” for its exclusion. The decision marks a significant victory for LGBTQ+ advocates while keeping a narrow path open for the sport’s governing body to defend its policy.

Transgender people’s participation in sports, especially in school athletics, has been a contentious issue across the nation. 

A total of 29 states ban transgender students from participating in sports consistent with their gender identity, though some bans have been blocked by court orders, according to the Movement Advancement Project.

Last month, the civil rights offices at the U.S. Department of Education and the Department of Health and Human Services said the Minnesota Department of Education and the Minnesota State High School League are violating Title IX “by allowing males to compete in female sports and occupy female intimate facilities.”

Minnesota Supreme Court Rules For Transgender Athletes: What We Know

The LGBTQ+ rights group Gender Justice, which represents Cooper, said the court issued a landmark ruling and affirmed that transgender athletes have the right to compete in sports without discrimination under the state’s Human Rights Act.

“This ruling sends a clear and powerful message: transgender people have a right to enjoy public spaces in Minnesota like sporting events, restaurants, and movie theaters, free from targeted discrimination,” Jess Braverman, Legal Director at Gender Justice, said in a statement sent to Newsweek. “This decision is a historic victory for fairness, equity, and the fundamental rights of all Minnesotans.”

The justices said that the law carves out a “legitimate business purpose defense,” and said there is a “genuine dispute of material fact” on whether “seeking to ensure competitive fairness in an athletic competition” qualifies under the law.

USA Powerlifting attorney Ansis Viksnins called it a partial victory for both sides in comments to the Associated Press. Viksnins said the ruling means they will get to tell a jury “why excluding a transgender woman from competing in the women’s division was for legitimate reasons, for maintaining fairness in athletics.”

Who is JayCee Cooper?

Cooper is a transgender Minnesotan weightlifter. USA Powerlifting rejected Cooper’s application in 2018 to compete in its women’s division. Cooper sued in 2021, and the trial court sided with her.

The Minnesota Court of Appeals sent the case back to the trial court, saying there were “genuine issues of fact” about whether USA Powerlifting excluded Cooper because of her transgender identity and whether the organization had a “legitimate business reason” behind the rejection.

What People Are Saying

Jess Braverman, Legal Director at Gender Justice, said in a statement sent to Newsweek: “While we celebrate this victory, we remain vigilant. Across the country, anti-trans legislation and legal battles continue to threaten the rights and freedom of trans people. We will continue to fight for a world where everyone can compete, belong, and thrive without fear of discrimination.”

USA Powerlifting attorney Ansis Viksnins, in an interview with the Associated Press: “Our opponents like to spin losses as victories and victories and victories, so I’m not surprised that they are claiming this is a victory.”

What Happens Next

The justices ordered trial court must now consider USA Powerlifting’s argument “that fair competition opportunities for similarly situated athletes is a legitimate business reason.”

This article includes reporting by the Associated Press.

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