This week the Minnesota Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Cooper v. USA Powerlifting & USA Powerlifting Minnesota. UnderUSAPL policy, distinct competitive categories exist, including sex-based categories prohibiting a male athlete from entering the female-only category. At issue in this case is whether USAPL discriminated against plaintiff JayCee Cooper, a male who identifies as a female, in alleged violation of Minnesota law by not allowing Cooper to participate in USAPL’s women only powerlifting category.
True North Legal submitted an amicus brief in this case representing Minnesota Family Council and the National Legal Foundation, in support of female athletes desiring to preserve female only competitions. The case is extremely important in the fight to ensure that the hard-fought gains of female athletes in all sports and at all levels of competition are not erased. Women deserve a safe and fair playing field, especially in strength competitions like female powerlifting. True North Legal’s brief details how Minnesota law, including the Minnesota Human Rights Act, requires that female athletics be reserved for female athletes, and speaks to the avalanche of evidence and data regarding the necessity to protect women-only sports categories. Most significantly, the brief incorporates data from the recently published UN Report cataloging the necessity of allowing sex-based distinctions in sport — in other words, only females should compete in female-only categories in USAPL competitions. Women should not be forced to compete against males who identify as transgender women. Make-bodied athletes do not belong in female athletic competitions regardless of how they identify.
Yes, it really is and should be that simple. Minnesota law was enacted to protect against any attempt by males to hijack women’s sports opportunities, which is exactly what plaintiff Jaycee Cooper, and plaintiff’s counsel, Gender Justice asked the Minnesota Supreme Court to do during oral arguments.
And if you don’t take our word for it, consider the number of NCAA college athletes who have voiced public concern about males playing in female sports. Most recently a number of NCAA female volleyball teams have chosen to forfeit their games impacting their overall ranking and ability to compete in future playoffs because they refuse to risk their health and safety by competing against a team with a male athlete identifying as female. Stay posted for more updates on this case and True North Legal’s perspective on oral arguments in forthcoming podcasts.
You can read more about this example and the entire case in True North Legal’s brief HERE.