A legal battle has begun in New York’s Nassau County over a law that forbids so-called “transgender” athletes from competing in sports belonging to the opposite gender.
As ABC News reports, the law in question is Local Law 121-24, the “Fairness for Women and Girls in Sports” act, which was signed by Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman on Monday. The law declares that sports leagues and athletic programs are required to “expressly designate” teams based on their actual biological gender, with permits being denied to any teams that allow men to compete with biological women, and vice-versa.
Blakeman had previously signed a similar executive order in February, which stated in part that “women and girls deserve the opportunity to demonstrate their strength, skills and athletic abilities and to provide them with equal and fair opportunities to obtain recognition and accolades, college scholarships, and the numerous other long-term benefits that result from participating and competing in athletic endeavors.”
That executive order was struck down in May by the Nassau County Supreme Court, following legal challenges by the far-left New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU) and the office of New York Attorney General Letitia James (D-N.Y.). Both James and the NYCLU have filed similar lawsuits against Nassau County over the new law, arguing that it constitutes discrimination on the basis of “gender identity.”
“It is abundantly clear that any attempt to ban trans women and girls from sports is prohibited by our state’s anti-discrimination laws,” said Gabriella Larios, a spokeswoman for the NYCLU. “This latest round of hateful legislation is unacceptable and we won’t let it stand in New York.”
Blakeman took to X to defend the new law, saying “I am very disappointed that the Attorney General would attempt to frustrate Nassau County’s desire to protect the integrity of women’s sports, ensure the safety of its participants and provide a safe environment for girls and women to compete.”
The Nassau County law is one of many that have been passed in the United States and around the world cracking down on “transgender” participation in sports. Particularly when it comes to women’s sports, “transgender” athletes have clear and overwhelming physical advantages over normal women due to their bodies still having the strength, hormones, and broader physical build of a male, thus leading to disproportionate athletic domination.