Students, Spurred by Social Media Spat Between Simone Biles and Riley Gaines, File Federal Lawsuit Against Oregon Over Trans Athlete Policy

A group of three high school students in Oregon is suing to force the state to erase records set by transgender athletes and ban them from competing on girls’ sports teams. The students filed their lawsuit in a federal district court in Oregon on Monday, as they alleged that they were “placed lower” in statewide rankings compared to transgender athletes, or “forced” to withdraw from competitions in protest. Two of the students, Maddie Eischen and Sophia Carpenter, declined to compete against a transgender athlete during an April 18 track-and-field competition. They told Fox News that a former swimmer, Riley Gaines, contacted them after that decision and encouraged them to file a lawsuit. They said they decided to file their lawsuit in June after an Olympic gymnast, Simone Biles, attacked Ms. Gaines in a social media post, calling her a “sore loser” and “truly sick” and chiding her for not “uplifting the trans community.”Ms. Biles later apologized, but the two Oregon students said the reaction to the spat encouraged them to file the lawsuit.“I think a lot of people don’t pay as much attention to this issue, and I think that with the whole Simone Biles and Riley Gaines [feud], with all that fallout, that definitely brought some more attention,” Ms. Carpenter told Fox News. “It kept it in the news cycle, it kept people looking and saying, ‘Hey, there’s this issue in girls’ sports that’s happening a lot more than people think it is.'”The lawsuit, which was filed by the America First Policy Institute, says, “Plaintiffs and other girls are forced to either compete against biological males with inherent physiological advantages or withdraw in protest, sacrificing their rankings, visibility, and team standing.”“Oregon has had a significant impact on track-and-field competitions, both nationally and internationally, as many of the top world performers in track and field have graduated from high schools in the State,” the lawsuit states. “Unfortunately for Plaintiffs and other high school girls in Oregon, their dreams and goals—opportunities for participation, recognition, and scholarships—are being directly and negatively impacted by the policies and decisions of the Oregon Department of Education.”Besides choosing whether to compete against biological males, the lawsuit says the “controversy around such events also attracts unwanted media attention, interfering with their privacy and public image in a uniquely degrading manner that their male student athlete counterparts do not experience.”The lawsuit alleges that Oregon’s policy is a “direct violation of Title IX, which mandates equal opportunity for sexes in any education program or activity receiving federal funds.”The Oregon Department of Education, which is listed as a defendant in the lawsuit, did not respond to the Sun’s request for comment by the time of publication.The Trump administration has pushed states to ban transgender athletes from competing on sports teams that do not match their biological sex. The Department of Education said in March that it was investigating Portland Public Schools, the largest school district in Oregon, over its decision to let a transgender athlete compete on a high school girls’ track-and-field team. In April, state education leaders issued rules requiring all schools to let students compete on sports teams that align with their gender identity. Earlier this week, California flatly rejected a proposed resolution agreement from the Department of Education, which found the state is in violation of Title IX for letting transgender athletes compete in girls’ sports, potentially putting $8 billion in federal funds at risk.

Students, Spurred by Social Media Spat Between Simone Biles and Riley Gaines, File Federal Lawsuit Against Oregon Over Trans Athlete Policy

More from the New York Sun

Collectivists Turn May Day Into a High Holiday

U.S. Floats Netanyahu–Aoun Meeting as Path to IDF Exit From Lebanon

Louisiana Lawmakers Advance Bill Protecting College Faculty Members’ Ability To Engage in the ‘Rigorous Exchange of Ideas’

More from the New York Sun

Collectivists Turn May Day Into a High Holiday

U.S. Floats Netanyahu–Aoun Meeting as Path to IDF Exit From Lebanon

Louisiana Lawmakers Advance Bill Protecting College Faculty Members’ Ability To Engage in the ‘Rigorous Exchange of Ideas’

Assassination Attempt Exposes Danger of Liberal Bias — and Outright Trump-Hatred — at America’s Universities

The Marriage Gap Is the Biggest Cause of Inequality in America, but Gets the Least Attention

Kentucky Derby Arrives With History, Heartbreak, and Change in the Air

Actress Takes a Beating From Harvey Weinstein’s Lawyers Over Secret ‘Love Note’: It’s Latest Example of Why This Rape Case Is So Hard To Prove

A Tale of Moral Courage in World War II, Chronicled Through Cartoons