Two transgender teenage girls and their families have filed a lawsuit against New Hampshire education officials over a new law that will prevent some transgender students from competing on school sports teams that match their gender identities. The law, House Bill 1205, will require students in grades 5-12 to compete on teams based on the gender listed on their birth certificates, which the families argue violates Title IX federal civil rights rules. The lawsuit is currently being reviewed by the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office.
Parker Tirrell, 15, and Iris Turmelle, 14, are the plaintiffs in the case. Tirrell has already been prevented from participating in girls’ soccer, while Turmelle intends to try out for girls’ tennis and track teams at her school. Since Idaho enacted a similar law in 2020, a total of 25 states have passed laws restricting transgender students’ participation in sports, citing concerns about unfair advantages.
Advocates for transgender rights argue that these laws are discriminatory and deny trans students the benefits of school sports. The families are being represented by GLAD, the ACLU of New Hampshire, and law firm Goodwin Procter. In April, the Biden administration expanded Title IX protections to include LGBTQ students, but did not address the issue of trans athletes. Additionally, over 20 GOP-led states have sued the administration over the new rules. New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu, a Republican, signed the law and another affecting the state’s transgender community last month, stating that they reflect bipartisan solutions that align with parents’ values. Sununu vetoed a bill that would have restricted restroom access for transgender individuals.
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