On March 8th, 2023, Gender Justice announced a favorable summary judgment ruling in Cooper vs. USA Powerlifting, a case involving discrimination against transgender athletes.
The case was filed against USA Powerlifting for denying JayCee Cooper, a trans athlete, entry into its women’s powerlifting competitions because she is a trans woman.
Subsequently, USA Powerlifting instituted a policy banning all trans women from participating in its women’s competitions.
Gender Justice, along with co-counsel Nichols Kaster and Premo Frank, filed charges with the Minnesota Department of Human Rights asserting that USA Powerlifting violated the Minnesota Human Rights Act.
The team sought protection from discrimination and a fair standard that allows trans athletes the opportunity to compete in the category of their gender identity.
BULKING or CUTTING? We teamed up with the number one bodybuilding supplement brand on the market to help you take your results to the next level. A free custom supplement plan designed to enhance your results.
The judge ruled in Cooper’s favor, finding that USA Powerlifting discriminated against her.
David Schlesinger, Attorney at Nichols Kaster, stated that:
“USAPL’s policy singled out athletes purely on the basis of being transgender, which is exactly the type of discrimination that is against the law under the Minnesota Human Rights Act.After today’s ruling, we are one step closer to making sure trans athletes like JayCee, and trans people everywhere in Minnesota, can pursue their dreams and goals without experiencing discrimination simply for being who they are.”
This ruling is significant because it establishes that trans athletes have the right to compete in the sports they love, free from discrimination.
Jess Braverman of Gender Justice emphasized that
My Top Recommended Supplements
“Trans women belong in women’s sports, and their right to compete is supported by Minnesota state law. USA Powerlifting’s ban on transgender athletes is not only illegal, it’s also rooted in outdated gender stereotypes that harm all women athletes. Gender Justice will always work to make sure sports teams and federations value the rights and dignity of all women by fighting for trans women athletes’ right to compete.”
There has been a big debate in recent years of trans athletes competing in women’s sports because of competitive advantage, some people believe there should be a separate category in sports for trans people while others believe they should be allowed to compete where they want.
Now it seems like that in powerlifting trans women are going to be allowed to compete in the sport and we might see this happen in other organizations in upcoming years.
