In a contentious decision emanating from Nassau County, a judge has upheld a local law that prohibits transgender women and girls from partaking in women’s sports at county-operated facilities. According to Gothamist, Nassau County Supreme Court Justice Bruce Cozzens ruled on Monday that this law does not infringe upon state human rights protections and is in compliance with federal guidelines which allow for sex-based distinctions in sports competitions.
As Justice Cozzens noted, the law intends to "protect women and girls in sports" by making teams seeking permits for county athletic facilities classify players by the biological sex assigned at birth. He highlighted perceived advantages "biological males, regardless of transitioning," might possess in terms of strength, speed, and bone density, which he argues could raise safety concerns, particularly in contact sports. The judge's position aligns with a Tennessee court ruling that permitted schools to separate facilities based on biological sex "without accommodating gender identity," as the New York Post reported.
The Long Island Roller Rebels, a women's roller derby league that includes transgender athletes, launched a legal challenge in July 2024, arguing that the law goes against New York’s Human Rights Law and Civil Rights Law, which prohibit discrimination based on gender identity. County Executive Bruce Blakeman staunchly defended the ruling, stating that within every community, people have voiced to him that this policy is the right one to have. "They don’t want biological males playing on girls’ and women’s teams. They feel it’s unsafe, they feel it’s unfair," Blakeman told Gothamist.
However, opposition voices are determined to actively pursue further legal action. "Today’s decision sends a chilling message that trans people don’t belong in Nassau County, but the fight doesn’t end here," Gabriella Larios, a staff attorney at the New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU) representing the Roller Rebels, told New York Post. Larios also noted the decision "flies in the face of longstanding state law," and vowed to challenge the ruling to ensure "trans girls and women can play sports freely, just like everyone else." She remained confident that New York courts will ultimately regard the ban as unlawful and discriminatory.
The NYCLU's earlier appeal to the judge's initial decision to permit the law to remain effective during litigation remains pending before the Appellate Division, Second Department. Additionally, a separate lawsuit filed by New York Attorney General Letitia James challenging the legality of the law is still moving through the courts. "Here in New York, every person has the right to be exactly who they are free from discrimination, and my office will always protect that right," James said in a statement accompanying her lawsuit, as reported by the New York Post.
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