Girls Fight Back, Sue Minnesota as Male Athletes Dominate Their Sports
Female athletes in Minnesota have filed a federal lawsuit challenging state rules that permit male athletes identifying as female to compete in girls’ sports, citing safety concerns and violations of Title IX.
The lawsuit, filed by the group Female Athletes United (FAU), names Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, Department of Human Rights Commissioner Rebecca Lucero, High School League Executive Director Erich Martens, Education Commissioner Willie Jett, and three school districts.
The plaintiffs include several high school athletes who allege they were injured or disadvantaged by competing against male athletes on public school girls’ teams.
The suit claims violations of Title IX for failing to provide “effective accommodation to the interests and abilities of female athletes” and “equal treatment, benefits, and opportunities.”
FAU is seeking an injunction to stop male athletes from competing in girls’ sports and to correct athletic records affected by male participation.
Three of the plaintiffs play softball, and two of them also play basketball.
Farmington High School student “E.P.”, identified by initials in the lawsuit, said she experienced intense pain after being hit by a pitch thrown by a male player.
The lawsuit states, “The speed and strength of the pitch made the pain more intense than she has felt when getting hit other times.”