MSHSL defers to state law; allows transgender athletes to continue playing women’s sports

The Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) will not follow President Donald Trump’s executive order banning transgender student-athletes from competing in girls’ high school sports. Instead, the MSHSL will refer to Minnesota state law and its anti-discriminatory laws based on gender identity.

President Trump’s executive order was signed last week and spans across the high school and college athletic associations. He has said that organizations that do not follow the executive order could be subject to the loss of federal aid.

A recent article from Fox9.com detailed the MSHSL’s position and how it interferes with President Trump’s executive order. Below is an excerpt from the Fox9.com article.

MSHSL says it will “continue to review the existing state laws alongside the new Presidential Executive Order and its timeline, processes for states, and requirements that are included.”

Here is the full statement MSHSL provided to its schools:

“In Minnesota, participation and eligibility of transgender student-athletes is determined by state law, through the Minnesota Human Rights Act and the Minnesota Constitution. The Minnesota State High School League, similar to other youth sports organizations, is subject to state anti-discrimination laws, which prohibit discrimination based on gender identity. Therefore, students in Minnesota are allowed to participate consistent with their gender identity. League Member Schools have done excellent work in respecting students and their individual situations as they determine their participation and eligibility within interscholastic sports.

“The League will continue to review the existing state laws alongside the new Presidential Executive Order and its timeline, processes for states, and requirements that are included.”

Minnesota Republicans want to do a similar version to Trump’s order, with both the Minnesota House and Senate introducing separate bills that state that only students of “the female sex” can participate in elementary and high school girl’s sports.

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The bill states that a student’s sex can only be indicated solely by “the student’s internal and external reproductive anatomy, the student’s naturally occurring level of testosterone; and an analysis of the student’s chromosomes.”

The bill was introduced on Thursday and if passed, it will go into effect on July 1.

To read the full article from Fox9.com, click here.