A coalition of 20 attorneys general, including Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul and New York counterpart Letitia James, filed an amicus brief in the case of Soule v. Connecticut Association of Schools, opposing the plaintiffs' efforts to bar transgender students from participating in gender-segregated school sports.
"Attacks on transgender students are a violation of their rights and simply will not be tolerated," said James in a press release from her office. "When we adopt inclusive policies that honor every individual's rights with dignity, we create a fairer, more just, and more prosperous society for all. The law does not discriminate based on gender, sexual orientation, or gender identity, and I will do everything in my power to fight for equal protection under the law for every community."
The brieffiled in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuitargues for the court to reject a lawsuit brought by four cisgender students who claim that the participation of transgender students in gender-segregated sports violates the rights of cisgender girls. The suit was filed after the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference implemented a policy that allows transgender students to participate in gender-segregated sports according to their gender identity.
Joining James and Raoul are the attorneys general of California, Colorado, Delaware, Hawai'i, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington and the District of Columbia.
The full brief is at ag.ny.gov/sites/default/files/21.10.14_soule_v._ciac_2d_cir._state_amici_brief.pdf.