The Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) has reaffirmed its commitment to allowing transgender student-athletes to participate in sports consistent with their gender identity, following President Donald Trump’s Executive Order banning them from women’s and girls’ sports. According to the MSHSL, eligibility for transgender student-athletes is determined by state law, specifically the Minnesota Human Rights Act and the Minnesota Constitution.
This stance is rooted in anti-discrimination laws that prohibit discrimination based on gender identity. The organization will review the existing state laws alongside Trump’s Executive Order, but its core principle remains unchanged. The MSHSL asserts that students in Minnesota can participate in sports consistent with their gender identity, regardless of the federal order.
Meanwhile, some Minnesota Republicans have introduced bills aimed at implementing a similar policy to Trump’s order, which would restrict participation in girls’ and women’s sports to those assigned female at birth. The NCAA has also announced a new policy limiting competition in women’s sports to students assigned female at birth only.
The MSHSL’s position is supported by the Minnesota state law, which protects students from discrimination based on their gender identity. In contrast, Trump’s Executive Order broadens the definition of sex as the gender someone was assigned at birth, effectively excluding transgender athletes from participating in women’s sports.
Source: https://www.fox9.com/news/mshsl-mn-state-law-transgender-athletes-trump