MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Trump administration has initiated legal proceedings against Minnesota's educational authorities and its school athletics governing body on Monday. This action follows through on a previous warning aimed at punishing the state for its enforcement of policies that allow transgender athletes to compete in sports designated for girls.
The lawsuit forms part of a larger national contention regarding the rights of transgender youth in athletics. Over 25 states have implemented laws that restrict transgender women and girls from participating in certain sports, with some even prohibiting gender-affirming medical treatments for minors. Several of these measures have faced legal challenges and been deemed unconstitutional by various courts.
Filed on Monday, the lawsuit from the Justice Department asserts that Minnesota's Department of Education and the Minnesota State High School League are infringing upon Title IX, a federal statute that prohibits sex discrimination in educational programs receiving federal funding.
“The Trump Administration does not tolerate flawed state policies that ignore biological reality and unfairly undermine girls on the playing field,” stated Attorney General Pamela Bondi.
A representative from the Minnesota attorney general’s office was reviewing the situation, and officials from the high school league did not provide immediate comments.
Previously, similar lawsuits have been lodged against Maine and California regarding their policies on transgender athletes. The Trump administration has hinted at repercussions against federal funding for various universities, including San Jose State University in California and the University of Pennsylvania, over transgender athlete policies.
Minnesota officials have pushed back against the federal government's campaign to ban transgender athletes from girls sports, asserting that the state’s human rights act prevails over executive orders issued by President Trump last year. A preemptive lawsuit was lodged by Minnesota last April, emphasizing that the state is already compliant with Title IX regulations. A ruling on the government's motion to dismiss that case is still pending.
The Justice Department claimed that Minnesota's policy violates Title IX by allowing girls to compete against boys in events explicitly reserved for female athletes, as well as permitting boys access to private spaces such as locker rooms and bathrooms designated for girls.
The lawsuit seeks a judicial declaration that Minnesota’s actions contravene Title IX and requests that a federal court compel the state to bar transgender girls from competing in girls’ prep sports.
According to the Justice Department, the Minnesota Department of Education receives more than $3 billion a year in federal aid from the U.S. Departments of Education and Health and Human Services, which is contingent upon adherence to Title IX guidelines.
In September, civil rights officials from the Education and Health and Human Services Departments warned Minnesota and the league that they could face legal action if violations of federal law continued.
