NW Minnesota News

The Minnesota Supreme Court has determined that USA Powerlifting's decision to bar a transgender athlete, described as a biological male, from competing in the women's division is "facially discriminatory" under the state's Human Rights Act.

Representative John Burkel expressed disappointment with the court's decision. He stated, "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. Women’s sports have come a long way over the decades, but these kinds of rulings are a major setback."

Burkel also questioned why Title IX, the federal law that ensures women and girls can compete on equal terms, was not considered by the court. "The federal Title IX law guarantees women and girls the right to compete on a level playing field, and it’s unclear why that law was ignored when the Minnesota Supreme Court made its finding," he said.

He cited public opinion on this issue: "A New York Times poll found that 79% of Americans believe girls' sports should be reserved for girls only, including 67% of Democrats."

Burkel called for legislative action following the ruling. He said, "Based on this ruling, 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, one Democrat will need to stand up to their party bosses and show support for girls for the proposal to move forward."

He added concerns about fairness and safety: "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. It’s clear the state legislature must now take action on behalf of our female athletes."

Burkel announced two upcoming town meetings with Representative Steve Gander in Roseau County. The first meeting will take place at the Warroad American Legion at 410 Lake St. NE from 10:00-11:30 a.m., and the second will be held at Polaris factory's front entrance lobby at 301 5th Ave. SW in Roseau from 2:30-4:00 p.m., where they will discuss legislative issues and answer questions.