Rep. Burkel: State Supreme Court Ruling Allows Boys to Play in Girls Sports

The Minnesota Supreme Court ruled that a decision made by USA Powerlifting to prevent a trangendered individual – in this case, a biological male – from competing in the organization’s women’s division is “facially discriminatory” under Minnesota’s Human Rights Act.

State Representative John Burkel (R-Badger) said he was disappointed with the court’s decision.

“As a parent of three daughters that participated in sports, I cannot imagine them being forced to play against a biological boy who didn’t want to participate against other boys,” Burkel said. “Women’s sports have come a long way over the decades, but these kinds of rulings are a major setback.”

The federal Title IX law guarantees women and girls the right to compete on a level playing field, and Burkel said it’s unclear why that law was ignored when the Minnesota Supreme Court made its finding.  

A New York Times poll found that 79% of Americans believe girls’ sports should be reserved for girls only, including 67% of Democrats.

Based on this ruling, Burkel said the Minnesota House must vote on the Preserving Girls Sports Act next session, which would amend state law to prevent males from participating in athletic programs designated for girls. But with the House in a tie between Republicans and Democrats, Burkel added that one Democrat will need to stand up to their party bosses and show support for girls for the proposal to move forward.   

“The ruling not only ignores federal law, but it fails to recognize the obvious fairness and safety issues that are inevitable when males compete against females,” Burkel said. “It’s clear the state legislature must now take action on behalf of our female athletes.”