On August 30, 2024, the National Women’s Law Center, our law firm partners Nigh, Goldenberg, Raso & Vaugn and Covington & Burling LLP, and 20 additional organizations committed to gender justice filed an amicus brief to Minnesota Supreme Court in Cooper v. USA Powerlifting. This case was brought by powerlifter JayCee Cooper to challenge USA Powerlifting’s explicitly discriminatory policy, barring all trans women from competing in their powerlifting competitions. Represented by GenderJustice, JayCee won a strong preliminary decision at the district court level, finding that USA Powerlifting likely violated Minnesota’s Human Rights Law. 

Our amicus brief in support of JayCee explains to the Court that strong enforcement of state nondiscrimination laws, including in sports and all businesses open to the public, makes life safer and more equitable for transgender women, cisgender women, LGBTQI+ women, women of color, and all people. USA Powerlifting has relied on fearmongering and sex stereotypes in its arguments defending its discrimination, falsely claiming that trans women “threaten” women’s sports competitions. In reality, policies scrutinizing whether girls and women are “feminine enough” perpetuate sexist and racist stereotypes that harm all girls and women, especially Black and brown girls and women and intersex women (who have natural variations in sex-linked traits.) The systemic inequities that exist in women’s sports are overwhelmingly caused by leaders and policymakers denying equal resources and funding for women’s sports, and full inclusion of all women in public life relies on remedying these issues while also including and supporting LGBTQI+ women. For more on the case, please read our blog.