West Virginia trans sports ban discriminates against teen, appeals court says

[LoriDee]

West Virginia's transgender athletes ban discriminates against a 13-year-old trans girl, a US court has ruled.
https://www.thepinknews.com/2024/04/17/west-virginia-transgender-sports-ban-discriminatory/
Written by Amelia Hansford, Pink News
Published online: Apr 17, 2024

A court ruling handed down by the 4th US Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday (16 April) described the proposed law banning trans women from women's sports as the "definition of gender identity discrimination."

The West Virginia law, dubbed the "Save Women's Sports Act," was passed in 2021 and barred transgender girls from competing in girls' teams or sporting events.

It was challenged by 13-year-old transgender school student, Becky Pepper-Jackson, who was 11 at the time, after she was blocked from participating in her school's cross-country and track teams.

The law was successfully blocked in February 2023 and further attempts to overturn the decision have been rejected.

The appeals court handed down yet another ruling blocking the bill from taking effect, saying that the bill violates constitutional rights and the US' anti-discrimination act, Title IX.

"The Act treats transgender girls differently from cisgender girls," the decision reads. "Which is – literally – the definition of gender identity discrimination."

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Not all heroes wear capes. Some wear track shoes.