The families of three female high school runners filed a federal lawsuit Wednesday seeking to block transgender athletes in Connecticut from participating in girls sports.
Selina Soule, a senior at Glastonbury High School, Chelsea Mitchell, a senior at Canton High School, and Alanna Smith, a sophomore at Danbury High School are represented by the conservative nonprofit organization Alliance Defending Freedom.
They argue that allowing boys who identify as female to compete has deprived them of track titles and scholarship opportunities.
“Mentally and physically, we know the outcome before the race even starts,” said Smith, who is the daughter of former Major League Baseball pitcher Lee Smith. “That biological unfairness doesn’t go away because of what someone believes about gender identity. All girls deserve the chance to compete on a level playing field.”
The lawsuit was filed against the Connecticut Association of Schools-Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference and the boards of education in Bloomfield, Cromwell, Glastonbury, Canton and Danbury.
House Republicans defend ICE agent in fatal shooting, say use of force was justified
California leads multistate lawsuit against Trump over child care funding freeze
Obama Presidential Center job listings push ‘anti-racism’ pledge ahead of opening
Trump Admin Considers Sending Large Payments to Every Greenland Resident in Bid to Acquire the Island: Report
First Hilton, Then Marriot, Now McDonald’s: Companies Rush to Embrace ICE as Conservative Pressure Campaign Crushes Woke Workers
‘Tip of the iceberg’: Senate Republicans press Gov Walz over Minnesota fraud scandal
Democratic socialist Mamdani ally mounts bid for US House of Representatives
Ohio dentist murders: Alley video, no forced entry fuel insider fears, experts say
Renee Nicole Good part of ‘ICE Watch’ group, DHS sources say
Five Republicans Break Ranks With Trump on Venezuela, Cripple His Ability to Use Military in Country Again
Fiery But Mostly Peaceful Rhetoric: Huge NYC Crowd Chants That They’ll Kill Noem, ICE Agents
Minnesota ICE shooting ignites debate over federal officer immunity
Watchdog exposes taxpayer-funded teacher program for banning White applicants: ‘Likely illegal’
Thousands already applied for Minnesota’s new paid leave program open to illegal immigrants
Venezuela raid is about the oil — keeping it from Russia and China
“Forcing girls to be spectators in their own sports is completely at odds with Title IX, a federal law designed to create equal opportunities for women in education and athletics,” attorney Christiana Holcomb said. “Connecticut’s policy violates that law and reverses nearly 50 years of advances for women.”
The Connecticut Association of Schools-Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference says its policy follows a state anti-discrimination law requiring that students be treated by the gender with which they identify. The group says the policy is “appropriate under both state and federal law.”
The lawsuit follows a Title IX complaint filed last June by the girls’ families and the Alliance Defending Freedom with the U.S. Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights, which is investigating the policy.
The lawsuit centers on two transgender sprinters, Terry Miller and Andraya Yearwood, who have frequently outperformed their female competitors.
House Republicans defend ICE agent in fatal shooting, say use of force was justified
California leads multistate lawsuit against Trump over child care funding freeze
Obama Presidential Center job listings push ‘anti-racism’ pledge ahead of opening
Trump Admin Considers Sending Large Payments to Every Greenland Resident in Bid to Acquire the Island: Report
First Hilton, Then Marriot, Now McDonald’s: Companies Rush to Embrace ICE as Conservative Pressure Campaign Crushes Woke Workers
‘Tip of the iceberg’: Senate Republicans press Gov Walz over Minnesota fraud scandal
Democratic socialist Mamdani ally mounts bid for US House of Representatives
Ohio dentist murders: Alley video, no forced entry fuel insider fears, experts say
Renee Nicole Good part of ‘ICE Watch’ group, DHS sources say
Five Republicans Break Ranks With Trump on Venezuela, Cripple His Ability to Use Military in Country Again
Fiery But Mostly Peaceful Rhetoric: Huge NYC Crowd Chants That They’ll Kill Noem, ICE Agents
Minnesota ICE shooting ignites debate over federal officer immunity
Watchdog exposes taxpayer-funded teacher program for banning White applicants: ‘Likely illegal’
Thousands already applied for Minnesota’s new paid leave program open to illegal immigrants
Venezuela raid is about the oil — keeping it from Russia and China
The two seniors have combined to win 15 girls state indoor or outdoor championship races since 2017, according to the lawsuit.
The three plaintiffs have competed directly against them, almost always losing to Miller and usually behind Yearwood. Mitchell finished third in the 2019 state championship in the girls 55-meter indoor track competition behind Miller and Yearwood.
“Our dream is not to come in second or third place, but to win fair and square,” Mitchell said. “All we’re asking for is a fair chance.”
Yearwood, of Cromwell High School, and Miller, of Bloomfield High School, have both defended their participation in girls events.
Yearwood told The Associated Press in February 2019 that there are many differences among athletes that may give one a physical advantage
over another, and claimed he doesn’t have an unfair advantage.
“One high jumper could be taller and have longer legs than another, but the other could have perfect form, and then do better,” he said. “One sprinter could have parents who spend so much money on personal training for their child, which in turn, would cause that child to run faster.”
Yearwood’s mother said the athlete had no immediate comment on Wednesday’s lawsuit. Miller did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
House Republicans defend ICE agent in fatal shooting, say use of force was justified
California leads multistate lawsuit against Trump over child care funding freeze
Obama Presidential Center job listings push ‘anti-racism’ pledge ahead of opening
Trump Admin Considers Sending Large Payments to Every Greenland Resident in Bid to Acquire the Island: Report
First Hilton, Then Marriot, Now McDonald’s: Companies Rush to Embrace ICE as Conservative Pressure Campaign Crushes Woke Workers
‘Tip of the iceberg’: Senate Republicans press Gov Walz over Minnesota fraud scandal
Democratic socialist Mamdani ally mounts bid for US House of Representatives
Ohio dentist murders: Alley video, no forced entry fuel insider fears, experts say
Renee Nicole Good part of ‘ICE Watch’ group, DHS sources say
Five Republicans Break Ranks With Trump on Venezuela, Cripple His Ability to Use Military in Country Again
Fiery But Mostly Peaceful Rhetoric: Huge NYC Crowd Chants That They’ll Kill Noem, ICE Agents
Minnesota ICE shooting ignites debate over federal officer immunity
Watchdog exposes taxpayer-funded teacher program for banning White applicants: ‘Likely illegal’
Thousands already applied for Minnesota’s new paid leave program open to illegal immigrants
Venezuela raid is about the oil — keeping it from Russia and China
The attorneys are asking the court to prevent the transgender girls from competing while the lawsuit moves forward. No hearing date on that request had been scheduled Wednesday, the day before the state’s indoor track championships begin.
Connecticut is one of 17 states that allowed transgender high school athletes to compete without restrictions in 2019, according to Transathlete.com, which tracks state policies in high school sports across the country.
Eight states had restrictions that make it difficult for transgender athletes to compete while in school, such as requiring athletes to compete under the gender on their birth certificate or allowing them to participate only after going through sex reassignment procedures or hormone therapies, according to Transathlete.
Yearwood and Miller have said they are still in the process of transitioning but have declined to provide details.
Story cited here.
