A group of female athletes at a Connecticut high school in filed a lawsuit in 2019 against the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference and a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights over a state policy that allows boys pretending to be girls to compete on girls’ sports teams.
A federal court dismissed their lawsuit on the grounds of lack of dispute. The two boys had graduated, and the plaintiffs couldn’t identify other “transgender” athletes on the team. But the issue wasn’t a procedural matter. The women are fighting to protect other women.
A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit also dismissed their case last December, but the full Second Circuit agreed to hear it. These women recently argued their case before the court.
Three women who sued — Chelsea Mitchell, Selina Soule, and Alanna Smith — recently talked about their plight on Fox News.
Mitchell has been called the fastest girl in Connecticut. She raced against two boys pretending to be girls all through high school and lost medals, podium spots, and opportunities to advance.
“Eventually, I lost two All-New England awards [in girls’ track and field] and four state championships to these two biological males.”
Mitchell said she was heartbroken and devastated.
Selina Soule is the lead plaintiff in the lawsuit. She lost the opportunity to compete in championships because of the two boys. She said she’s trying to help other girls avoid the pain and heartbreak she’s endured.
Alanna Smith was “really nervous” to speak out but plucked up her courage after she saw Soule doing it. She hopes that by speaking up, she’ll help other girls avoid being sidelined in their own sport.
We're excited to make the case that our clients' hard work matters and their records should be rightly recognized. @ChristianaADF | @foxandfriends #Fairness4Females #SaveWomensSports pic.twitter.com/yZOSy7LuVN
— Alliance Defending Freedom (@ADFLegal) June 6, 2023
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