Arr! Ye judge be puttin' a stop to Arizona's ban on transgender lasses joinin' female school sport crews!
2023-07-21
Avast ye, maties! A fine judge be grantin' a preliminary injunction, puttin' a stop to Arizona's mischief in restrictin' lasses of the transgender persuasion from takin' part in lass-only school sports. The lawsuit be still goin' on, but for now, fair winds be blowin' in favor of the lasses! Yarr!
A federal judge in Tucson has temporarily blocked Arizona from enforcing a law that bans transgender girls from playing on girls' school sports teams. The judge granted a preliminary injunction to allow the processing of a lawsuit filed on behalf of two transgender girls against the state's "Save Women's Sports Act," which was passed by the Republican-controlled Legislature last year. The lawsuit argues that the law violates federal Title IX, which prohibits sex discrimination in schools receiving federal funds, as well as the equal protection clause of the U.S. Constitution.The Superintendent of Public Instruction, Tom Horne, who is a defendant in the case, expressed his intention to appeal the decision, stating that the case will ultimately be decided by the United States Supreme Court. Arizona is one of several states that have passed laws limiting transgender students' access to school sports teams and facilities based on their assigned sex at birth rather than their gender identity.
The plaintiffs in the Arizona lawsuit include a 15-year-old volleyball player and an 11-year-old who wishes to play girls' soccer, basketball, and cross-country. In response to the court's decision, the parents of both children expressed their relief and stated that their daughters are looking forward to participating in the sports they love.
Arizona officials have defended the law, arguing that it aims to ensure fairness in girls' sports. However, Judge Jennifer G. Zipps, in issuing the preliminary injunction, stated that there was no evidence that allowing transgender girls to play on girls' teams would provide them with an athletic advantage or pose a safety risk to other players. The judge emphasized the potential harm that transgender girls would face if they were forced to play on boys' sports teams, describing it as "painful and humiliating."
LGBTQ+ rights advocates view laws like Arizona's as anti-transgender attacks disguised as protections for children. They argue that these laws use transgender individuals as political pawns to rally GOP voters before an election year. Some measures similar to the one in Arizona have been blocked by courts in various states, including Wisconsin.