The U.S. Department of Education has concluded that Connecticut’s policy of allowing transgender athletes to compete in women’s sports programs is a violation of Title IX anti-discrimination rules.
Connecticut’s policy allowing transgender girls (biological boys) to compete as girls in high school sports violates the civil rights of athletes who have always identified as female, the U.S. Education Department has determined in a decision that could force the state to change course to keep federal funding and influence others to do the same.
The policy is a violation of Title IX, the federal civil rights law that guarantees equal education opportunities for women, including in athletics, the office said.
It has “denied female student-athletes athletic benefits and opportunities, including advancing to the finals in events, higher-level competitions, awards, medals, recognition, and the possibility of greater visibility to colleges and other benefits,” according to the letter, which is dated May 15.
This is the case of three female high school students whose schools allowed transgender athletes to compete against females.
The girls are currently suing their districts.
The students who filed the lawsuit say they have repeatedly lost sporting competitions to transgender competitors.
Mentally and physically, we know the outcome before the race even starts,” Alanna Smith, a sophomore at Danbury High School, said in February. “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.”
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Alliance Defending Freedom attorneys representing the students filed a motion earlier this month calling for the presiding judge in the case to recuse himself after the judge forbid the attorneys from referring to the transgender athletes as “male.”
The lead attorney for ADF Robert Brooks responded, “The entire focus of the case is the fact that the CIAC policy allows individuals who are physiologically, genetically male to compete in girls’ athletics….if I refer to these individuals as “female,” because that’s simply when we’re talking about physiology, that’s not accurate, at least in the belief of my clients.”
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