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CHARLESTON, Va. (AP) \u2014 A federal judge ruled Thursday that West Virginia’s ban on transgender athletes from all-girls’ school sports is constitutional and can remain in place.<\/p>\n
The American Civil Liberties Union and its West Virginia Chapter Filed a Lawsuit On behalf of an 11-year-old transgender girl who wanted to compete in the Harrison County middle school cross-country in 2021. was given.<\/p>\n
West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrissey praised Thursday’s ruling by U.S. District Court Judge Joseph Goodwin.<\/p>\n
“This is not just a matter of simple biology, it’s about fairness in women’s sport, plain and simple,” the Attorney General said. \u201cThe opportunities for girls and women in the field are precious and we must protect their future.\u201d <\/p>\n
West Virginia’s ACLU said Thursday it is reviewing the decision with co-lawyers to determine next steps.<\/p>\n
Transgender Athletes’ Competitiveness in Sports Is Subject to Ongoing National DebateMore than a dozen states have passed laws banning or restricting transgender participation in sports, based on the premise that trans people gain an unfair competitive advantage.<\/p>\n
A 2017 study by the Williams Institute at UCLA Law School used a state-level population-based survey to find that among all states that West Virginia identified as transgender, 13- to 17-year-olds residing We estimated that the highest percentage (1.04%) of all<\/p>\n
The West Virginia Secondary School Activities Board, which oversees educational sports, said it had not received any complaints about transgender players on the girls’ team in 2021, when the lawsuit was filed.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n