Athlete Ally Celebrates Dismissal of Anti-Trans CT Lawsuit
April 26, 2021 (New York, NY) — Athlete Ally responded today to news that yesterday, a federal judge dismissed the lawsuit filed against the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference and multiple school boards which sought to ban transgender athletes from school sports. Andraya Yearwood and Terry Miller, two transgender athletes named in the lawsuit and represented by the ACLU, were presented with Athlete Ally Action Awards in 2019 in recognition of their advocacy for equality and inclusion.
“This is good news for transgender students in Connecticut and around the country,” said Joshua Block, the senior staff attorney with the ACLU’s LGBTQ & HIV Project. “Today’s ruling shows that allowing transgender students to fully participate in school — including sports — is consistent with existing federal law. This is yet another sign that lawmakers attacking trans youth in states around the country have no legal basis for their claims. When Andraya and Terry ran in high school, they belonged on the girls’ teams because they are girls. They benefited from being on a team, working to better themselves and having an escape from the rest of their days — the same things that anyone else benefits from when playing sports. We will continue to fight against these attacks on transgender youth wherever they come.”
“This is a monumental step forward for transgender student-athletes, and a powerful testament to the work of the ACLU,” said Anne Lieberman, Director of Policy and Programs at Athlete Ally. “Transgender youth have the right to participate in sports and to live their lives fully and authentically. We are grateful to know and have honored Andraya and Terry — two hard-working young women who simply love to run. Their tenacity in fighting for their rights — and the rights of all transgender athletes — is contagious and inspiring. We will continue to fight so that all transgender athletes can participate in the sports they love.”