The National Women’s Law Center (NWLC) has filed a motion in federal court to intervene in a lawsuit demanding the ban of transgender women from participating in women’s college sports teams and using facilities that align with their gender identity.
The National Women’s Law Center Defends Transgender College Athletes
The National Women’s Law Center (NWLC) has filed a motion in federal court to intervene in a lawsuit demanding the ban of transgender women from participating in women’s college sports teams and using facilities that align with their gender identity. The NWLC, which has been advocating for the rights of women and girls under Title IX for 50 years, aims to protect the rights of transgender athletes and ensure their inclusion in collegiate sports.
The Lawsuit and Allegations
The lawsuit, Gaines v. NCAA, alleges that the NCAA’s policies regarding transgender student-athletes discriminate against cisgender women. The plaintiffs argue that the NCAA should categorically ban transgender women from playing sports. However, the NWLC, represented by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), ACLU of Georgia, and Cooley LLP, has filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit, citing flaws in the legal and factual statements presented in the complaint.
Support for Transgender College Athletes
Women athletes from across the country, including prominent figures like Billie Jean King, Megan Rapinoe, Sue Bird, and NCAA women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley, have voiced their support for the inclusion of transgender college athletes. The NWLC echoes this sentiment and emphasises that the inclusion of transgender women and girls in all aspects of school, including sports, restrooms, and locker rooms, is both a matter of civil rights law and human rights.
Shiwali Patel, the Director of Justice for Student Survivors and Senior Counsel at the National Women’s Law Center, states, «As a women’s rights organisation that has advocated for strong Title IX enforcement since its inception, we feel called upon to defend against extremist attacks on our trans sisters – attacks that weaponise and distort the language of women’s rights to justify discrimination and bigotry. Let me be clear: we firmly support the inclusion of women and girls who are transgender in all aspects of school – including sports, restrooms, and locker rooms – as a matter of both civil rights law and of human rights».
Challenging Discrimination and Misuse of Title IX
The NWLC, along with its partners, is committed to challenging the discriminatory practices against transgender women and girls in college athletics. They argue that this lawsuit is not just an attack on transgender individuals but on all women and girls. By policing who is considered a woman, all women and girls are subjected to intrusive and humiliating scrutiny.
Jennesa Calvo-Friedman, Staff Attorney for the ACLU’s Women’s Rights Project, explains, «Policing who is, or isn’t, a woman subjects all women and girls to intrusive and humiliating scrutiny. In states across the country, we’ve seen cis and trans girls alike subjected to invasive questioning and harassment because their hair is too short, or they perform too well, to be considered ‘real girls.’ Women’s sports are critical because they provide freedom from pressure to comply with expectations about how women should look and behave, but this lawsuit diminishes that freedom and joy»
Protecting Transgender Rights in College Athletics
The NWLC, alongside its legal representation, is determined to protect the rights of transgender women and girls in college athletics. They firmly believe that anti-transgender discrimination has no place in college sports or any other aspect of society. Kathleen Hartnett of Cooley LLP states, “We are proud to represent the NWLC in standing up against this unfair attack on transgender women and girls. We look forward to showing the court that plaintiffs’ challenge is unfounded and that anti-transgender discrimination has no place in college athletics or anywhere else.”
Nneka Ewulonu, Staff Attorney for the ACLU of Georgia, adds, “The ACLU of Georgia advocates for the right of all Georgians to be treated equitably and to freely participate in all aspects of society. Exclusionary and divisive policies on who can compete in women’s sports harm all women, cisgender and transgender alike.”
This lawsuit is part of a broader effort to control women’s bodies and lives, but the NWLC and its partners are committed to ensuring that women’s rights are protected. They will continue to fight against any attempts to exclude transgender women and girls from participating in sports and other activities.
Conclusion
The National Women’s Law Center is intervening in the lawsuit Gaines v. NCAA to defend the rights of transgender women and girls to participate in college sports and use facilities that align with their gender identity. They firmly believe that the inclusion of transgender individuals in all aspects of school is a matter of civil rights law and human rights. By challenging discriminatory practices and advocating for equality, the NWLC aims to protect the rights of transgender athletes and ensure their full participation in collegiate sports.
