Is it fair for high school female athletes to compete against transgender athletes? That is what a federal judge in Connecticut will determine. Three female high school runners in Connecticut have filed a federal lawsuit seeking to block transgender athletes from participating in girls’ sports.
The lawsuit was filed by the conservative nonprofit group Alliance Defending Freedom. The girls argue in the lawsuit that it is unfair that they have to compete against “biological boys,” in track events and this deprives them of possible scholarships.
The three female athletes are Selina Soule, Chelsea Mitchell and Alanna Smith (the daughter of former major league pitcher Lee Smith) and they all allege that they have been damaged since a policy was implemented three years ago that allows athletes with male anatomy to compete against the girls. Two athletes born “biologically male” have won 12 women’s state championship titles previously held by nine different girls. The students seek a preliminary injunction to stop the policy.
The lawsuit cites two transgender high school athletes — seniors Terry Miller and Andraya Yearwood. They have both issued statements that they will not stop competing. Yearwood said, “I will never stop being me! I will never stop running! I hope that the next generations of trans youth doesn’t have to fight the fights that I have.”
Connecticut is one of 17 states that allowed transgender high school athletes to compete without restrictions in 2019, while 20 others either had no policies or handled each student on a case-by-case basis.
You can read more about this lawsuit here.
