Female Athletes Fight To Keep Biological Men Out Of Their Sports

Authored by Savannah Dudzik via Campus Reform,

Two female track athletes in Idaho are urging a federal judge to dismiss a lawsuit intended to once again allow biological males to compete in women’s sports. 

Two Idaho University female track athletes are teaming up with the state of Idaho to dismiss a lawsuit that that would allow transgender women to compete in their sport. Earlier this year, Republican Gov. Brad Little signed into law a statute to ban transgender athletes from participating in the other sex’s sports, but the American Civil Liberties Union and Legal Voice filed a lawsuit in April, arguing that the new state law violates the U.S. Constitution.

The two track athletes, Madison Kenyon and Mary Marshall, are urging a federal judge to dismiss the lawsuit are represented by the Alliance Defending Freedom. Madison Kenyon and Mary Marshall argue that to repeal the law would put them in unfair competition with biological males on their college track team.

“I believe that allowing males to enter women’s sports defeats an entire aspect of sports: It eliminates the connection between an athlete’s effort and her success,” one of the student athletes, Madison Kenyon, told Campus Reform. 

But, Gabriel Arkles, senior staff attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union’s LGBT & HIV Project says that the law “illegally targets women and girls who are transgender and intersex and subjects all female athletes to the possibility of invasive genital and genetic screenings.”

“In Idaho and around the country, transgender people of all ages have been participating in sports consistent with their gender identity for years. Inclusive teams support all athletes and encourage participation — this should be the standard for all school sports,” Arkles added.

ADF legal counsel Christina Holcomb told Campus Reform that “girls deserve to compete on a level playing field.”

“Allowing males to compete in girls’ sports diminishes women’s athletic opportunities and destroys fair competition,” Holcomb added. 

“While it’s true that athletics is about more than winning, giving girls and women extra lessons in losing isn’t right. We’re grateful Gov. Little signed the Fairness in Women’s Sports Act into law because it seeks to protect girls and women across Idaho. Our clients have already experienced the deflating experience of losing to a male runner, and this should not be allowed to continue.”