Two transgender teenage girls and their families sued New Hampshire education officials on Friday over a new law that will bar some trans students in the state from competing on school sports teams that match their gender identities.

The legislation, House Bill 1205, goes into effect Monday and will require students in grades 5-12 to compete on school sports teams that match the gender marked on their birth certificates. 

Parker Tirrell, 15, and Iris Turmelle, 14, along with their families argue in their lawsuit that the new law violates Title IX federal civil rights rules, which prevent sex discrimination in federally funded education programs and activities. 

A spokesperson for the New Hampshire Department of Education said in an email that the department does not comment on pending litigation and referred NBC News to the state attorney general’s office. Mike Garrity, a spokesperson for the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office, said in an email that the office is “reviewing the complaint and will respond as appropriate.”

Tirrell, who is a rising sophomore at Plymouth Regional High School, said her school has already barred her from participating on the girls’ soccer team. 

“Not being allowed to play on my team with the other girls would disconnect me from so many of my friends and make school so much harder,” Tirell said in a statement. “I just want to be myself and to learn, play, and support my teammates like I did last year.”

Turmelle, a rising freshman at Pembroke Academy in Pembroke, has not been explicitly barred from participating in any school sports yet, but intends to try out for her school’s girls’ tennis and track and field teams.

“I’m a transgender girl, I’ve known that my whole life and everyone knows I’m a girl,” Turmelle said in a statement. “I don’t understand why I shouldn’t get to have the same opportunities as other girls at school,”

Since Idaho enacted a law limiting trans students’ participation in school sports in 2020, a total of 25 states have passed laws banning some or all trans students from competing on sports teams consistent with their gender identities, according to LGBTQ think tank Movement Advancement Project. 

Proponents of these laws say that some trans athletes can have unfair competitive advantages, while critics say they’re discriminatory and prevent trans students from obtaining the benefits of school sports. 

“Sports are a pillar of education in New Hampshire public schools because of the countless benefits of physical activity in a team environment, including physical and mental health, leadership skills, and social development,” Chris Erchull, a staff attorney at the Massachusetts-based nonprofit GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders, or GLAD, said. “New Hampshire cannot justify singling out transgender girls to deny them essential educational benefits available to other students.”

The Tirrell and Turmelle families are being represented by GLAD, the American Civil Liberties Union of New Hampshire and law firm Goodwin Procter.

In April, the Biden administration expanded Title IX rules to include protections for LGBTQ students. However, the rules notably did not mention the issue of trans athletes. Furthermore, over 20 GOP-led states have sued the administration over the new rules. And in June, federal judges temporarily blocked the rules from taking place in 10 states challenging them. 

New Hampshire’s transgender sports law was one of two bills Gov. Chris Sununu, a Republican, signed into law last month affecting the state’s trans community. The other measure will prevent trans minors from receiving transition-related surgery and bar physicians from referring patients for out-of-state procedures starting next year.  

Sununu said in a statement at the time that the bills “reflect commonsense, bipartisan solutions that reflect the values of parents across our state.” 

Sununu vetoed a bill last month that would have limited which restrooms trans people could access.

A representative for Sununu did not immediately return a request for comment regarding Friday’s lawsuit.

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Last trail update, I was falling asleep eager for a new day and a new attitude. 

Rise and shine world! There are only 18 miles between me and some delicious town food! I’m craving a soda like my veins are filled with it! Nothing but salivating thoughts of an ice-cold soda levitated my body down the trail. I planned to get most of my resupply done in Norwich and grab another cold drink in Hanover. 

Not going to lie, I should have bought more food in Norwich. Their deli compared to what was available in Hanover was a little depressing. I still managed to purchase plenty of food, but I will say I thought about those fresh veggie sandwiches for the rest of the day. 

Continuing on the trail to the next town, I didn’t see a sign, paint, or engraving to indicate I crossed into New Hampshire. Only to learn later there was “VT/NH” etched into stone on the other side of the street, on the side of the bridge. It didn’t matter to me much, I knew I was in a new state and was onto a new map on my phone! That is just as exciting and satisfying. Another map down, another one to go. I called all of my cheerleaders to let them know; that I only have two more states to go! 

With all the food I could need for the next stretch I’m off to find a nice spot for the evening. Pushed to Moose Mountain shelter and found myself a nice level tent spot to call home for the night. Upon my arrival, someone sitting around the lovely fire recognized me from my blogs?! Complimented me?! On MY writing? 

I was taken aback by the really sweet compliments and super thoughtful questions. Filled me with motivation to continue putting everything I have into my writing, although I hate to admit, it’s become quite a cumbersome task as I’ve put quite a bit of pressure on myself with it. Consumed my dinner at a rapid rate while talking with the lovely people at camp that was 30 miles away from last night’s camp spot. 

Day 84: Don’t Lose Hope

Shut off my early alarms to the sound of constant rain. Not thrilled, but moping about it will get no miles behind me. If there was any day to take a zero on the trail, it would be today. As quickly as I found new motivation, it was already depleted again. It’s not that I don’t want to hike, I think it’s more of the fatigue and some brain fog setting in. 

The rain also never let up today, that seems to dampen my spirit as much as wondering how my buddy Fishstick was. Is he as cold and wet as I am? Probably. I hope he stopped for a snack break and some rest, although I doubt it. I haven’t stopped all day for fear of getting too cold. 

I just have to get up and over Smarts Mountain. I continued my swift pace and enjoyed my foggy summit view while simultaneously passing by a group of Boy Scouts. I passed almost ten boys and their three leaders. 

Trying to seek refuge from the relentless rain for lunch, I hiked the very deceiving steep 0.2 miles up to the Hexacube shelter. It was making good time despite the weather conditions, but drinking water and eating were put on the backburner for most of today. I had hiked in total of 17.5 miles by 2 pm and and found two people calling it home for the night. They told me the rain was only going to continue into tomorrow and left me contemplating all further decisions. As I found myself packing up to try and continue miserably, Fishstick appeared! 

I was beyond relieved to see him! He only confirmed my worst fear, it was getting even worse out there than it looked. Where the shelter was positioned did not give a great indicator of the weather out there. I guess the Hexacube shelter is home for tonight. I have enough food to get me to town still, but the thought of being done for the day left me antsy and a tad anxious. 

Changing into my sleep clothes, cuddling under my quilt after massaging my feet and stretching my legs, a sense of relief came over me. I am meant to be here and there is not a lot that I can do with no motivation to continue walking in a downpour. It also was becoming a quiet jam packed shelter with lovely folks to chat with!

Day 85: Hard Pill to Swallow

With a light rain continuing into the morning, and a cozy shelter filled with lovely folks it was incredibly difficult to leave. I did however want to get Mt Cube over with. Having to slow down my pace to accommodate for weather has made me almost give up on my crazy goal of finishing this entire trail in 100 days and that certainly crushed my spirits. 

It was very hard to stay present in the current moment and not dwell on letting go of my goal. Once I have something in my head, it’s really hard for me to let go of it. Is that considered bull headed or over committed. Either way, I was in my head all day. 

I also managed to break away from Fishstick and cause a little problem. His phone was broken and I didn’t realize he passed me on trail when I was relieving myself in the bushes and pushed past the road before Mt Moosilauke. I stayed at that road for over an hour waiting for him before wandering down the road to the hostel. I learned there from some hikers slackpacking over the mountain that he was up the trail wondering where I was. Oops! Fingers crossed his phone will fix itself by the morning to reconnect. 

So for the evening, I bought a spot in the bunkhouse at Hikers Welcome Hostel and hunkered in for the evening while being able to dry all my gear and enjoy a piping hot shower! The shuttle ride to a grocery store was nice although I still had plenty of food to get me through one more day. That didn’t stop me from indulging in a half gallon of chocolate milk and some Twix candy bars!

There were tons of folks to chat with but really just enjoy listening to all the different conversations. I was told a lot of information, some may say too much information about the terrain that lies ahead. I understand these folks are just trying to help us hikers grasp what’s ahead, but everyone becoming filled with fear was hard to not follow suit. Looking back, I should have tuned out all the discussions and pushed on with confidence in myself and my capabilities. I’ve gotten here with trusting my gut and myself, how come when surrounded by a ton of fearful people it all goes out the window?

15 miles today ended at Hikers Welcome Hostel, alone and hopeful Fishstick is somewhere safe from this storm rolling in.

Day 86: Mt. Moosilauke

Up and over for me! Packed up early for the Hiker’s Welcome hostel and ready to get up and over! Also to find my buddy Fishstick. Getting closet to the summit, I found phone service to reconnect with Fishstick and find a spot to reconnect. He graciously waited at the shelter after the summit to wait for me and eat a snack. It sure was a solid constant push to the summit in a drizzle! It sure was an anticlimactic view ontop of Mt. Moosilauke!

In total, 16 miles hiked from one side of Mt. Moosilauke to the other. We stayed at The Notch hostel, as it was one of the few hostels talked about by so many on the trail and figured we had to check it out ourselves. Especially since we were calling it good enough for our day and wanted some relaxation. 

Day 87: Oops

Well, there’s no easy way to say this… I messed up. It took 87 days for me to mess up my days in my journal. I had managed to write the same thing for two days in a row?? 

Was there a glitch in the matrix? 

I may never know. 

I do know however that the amount of love, kindness, and support from family, people I haven’t talked to in a long time, and total strangers, is the secret ingredient that has only continued to snowball, and I am eternally humbled and grateful because of it. 

There’s any sort of struggle or moment of weakness and I think about that. 

I think a lot about the people I haven’t communicated with since high school or college that took time out of their day to reach out to me and send encouraging thoughts is so inspiring. 

I think a lot about the amount of pure generosity on the east coast. The almost immediate water caches and random popsicles I was given on trail during the massive heat wave.

I think a lot about just how unconditional the love my family sends my way. They sure as heck think I’m a total wacko and may not fully understand why I’m out here, but they sure do make their love known. 

Everyone I have crossed paths with sure has. 

How many miles today? Unclear. Still another day putting one foot in front of the other, continuing my footpath to Maine. 

Until the next update, happy trails and hike on!