Utah judge suspends ban on transgender girls in school sports

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A Utah judge on Friday temporarily blocked a state ban banning transgender girls from participating in K-12 sports.

A transgender rights advocate holds up a sign outside the Ohio State Capitol.

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Utah Judge Keith Kelly issued a preliminary injunction on Friday blocking the bill, citing “clearly unfavorable treatment” for transgender girls.

The ruling comes after three families representing transgender student-athletes filed lawsuits challenging Utah’s ban on transgender girls participating in sports. Utah Constitution guaranteeing equal rights.

But if that block is put on hold, another process proposed by the legislature will take effect. The Commission determines which transgender athletes are allowed to participate in sports based on factors such as the player’s wingspan, weight and height, measures set out in the original law. , according to salt lake tribune.

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Several other states, including West Virginia, Indiana and Idaho, have challenged banning transgender athletes from participating in sports. Temporarily suspended West Virginia law banning girls from playing sports in schools enacted a law prohibiting it in some way. Discussions about the participation of transgender athletes in sports have largely centered on transgender women, with critics citing the physical traits driven by testosterone production as compared to cisgender women. Citizens claim that the law isolates transgender girls and denies them important social, physical, and emotional benefits from participating in sports. It has provoked outrage from rights groups.

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Several professional sports leagues have also enacted bans banning trans women from competing or created separate categories for trans athletes. The British Triathlon Federation is the latest sport to do so, last month creating an ‘open’ category for transgender and non-binary people to participate in, effectively excluding them from the women’s category for women born female. became one of her The group argued that transgender women have physiological advantages even after starting the transition. Banned transgender women from playing in women’s rugby.

References

Utah transgender girls can compete again after judge grants injunction blocking state sports ban (Salt Lake Tribune)

Judge suspends Utah ban on transgender children in sports (Associated Press)

Utah legislature revokes governor’s veto on transgender athletes bill (New York Times)

British Triathlon Restricts Trans Athletes