In February, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman issued an order that sparked outrage across New York State. The Republican executive claimed his decision was necessary to ensure cisgender girls and women had a fair chance at winning sporting events by excluding transgender athletes from participating. However, this move was swiftly challenged by the state’s attorney general and a local women’s roller-derby team.
The controversy surrounding Blakeman’s order highlights the ongoing debate around gender identity in sports. Proponents of his decision argue that it is necessary to protect cisgender girls and women from being injured or losing opportunities due to transgender athletes’ participation. On the other hand, critics see this move as discriminatory and transphobic, violating a state ban on discrimination against people based on their sex or gender identity.
The situation took an unexpected turn when Blakeman’s order was thrown out by a New York court. The judges ruled that only the county legislature had the power to make such changes. This decision effectively ended any attempts to restrict transgender athletes’ participation in girls’ and women’s sports events.
However, Nassau County has since passed a new law requiring organizers of girls’ or women’s sports events to ask each member of participating teams about their original birth certificate sex designation. Any teammates who were not designated female would be expelled from the team. This restriction does not apply to boys’, men’s, or mixed teams that are not segregated by gender.
Victoria Lagreca, a lawyer in the Nassau County attorney’s office, defended this law by citing four recent incidents where cisgender women or girls were injured while playing sports alongside transgender women or girls. Two of these incidents occurred in Massachusetts and one each in North Carolina and Canada. However, she was unable to provide information on any such injuries occurring within New York State.
The new law has been met with widespread criticism from civil rights groups, who see it as a form of illegal discrimination against people based on their gender identity. The New York Civil Liberties Union has announced its intention to resume litigation against the Nassau County restrictions, representing the Long Island Roller Rebels women’s roller derby team that welcomes transgender athletes.
As this controversy continues to unfold, one thing is clear: there are strong feelings and deep divisions surrounding issues of gender identity in sports. It remains to be seen how these debates will play out in courts and legislatures across the country.