Connecticut female athletes suing over transgender policy
Track athlete Selina Soule and Alliance Defending Freedom senior counsel Christiana Kiefer discuss their efforts to protect women’s sports in Connecticut
Selina Soule, a track athlete in Connecticut, is suing the state over its "unfair" transgender sports policy that she argued puts female athletes at a disadvantage. She said on "Fox & Friends First" Friday that women’s sports are being "robbed."
Soule told host Todd Piro that she competed against biological males throughout her four years in high school and lost over a dozen times.
"I lost out on qualifying spots for the meets, better placement and possibly even scholarship opportunities," she said.
"It was a very frustrating and heartbreaking thing to have to go through."
The state’s Department of Education provides protections for transgender students from discrimination based on gender identity or expression and claims those protections are also guaranteed under Title IX.
Christiana Kiefer, senior counsel for Alliance Defending Freedom, argues the inclusion of transgender protections is a "complete redefinition" of Title IX.
"That’s not only unlawful, but as we’ve seen in the state of Connecticut, will absolutely devastate women’s sports," Kiefer said.
The Alliance Defending Freedom is now working to appeal a ruling by U.S. District Court Judge Robert Chatigny, who dismissed the lawsuit in April on procedural grounds, saying there was no dispute to resolve because the two transgender athletes have graduated, and the plaintiffs could not identify other female transgender athletes.
Kiefer said the group is asking the appellate court to allow the case to move forward anyway because there are records that need to be corrected.
Lawmakers listen as parents speak about the prospect of their children competing against transgender girls in school sports at the Utah State Capitol on March 25, 2022, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Samuel Metz, File) (AP Photo/Samuel Metz, File)
"Multiple times, our clients were the fastest girl in a race, and they were not acknowledged as such," she said. "Girls like Selina deserve to compete on a level playing field."
Soule remains optimistic that legislators will take the necessary measures to protect women’s sports and allow girls the opportunity to participate and win in competitive sports.
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"I just want to ensure that no other little girl has to experience the pain and heartbreak that I went through in high school," Soule said.
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