Federal Judge Grants Temporary Eligibility for Transgender Teen to Play on Girls Soccer Team, OANN Reports
OAN Staff Blake Wolf
4:17 PM – Wednesday, August 21, 2024
A federal judge has ruled that a transgender teen in New Hampshire is temporarily allowed to play soccer on the girls’ team.
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The family of the transgender teen filed a lawsuit following a bill signed last month by Republican Governor Chris Sununu (R-N.H.). The signed bill requires teams to determine eligibility based on an individual’s sex assigned on their birth certificate. Sununu stated that this is aimed to “ensure fairness and safety in women’s sports by maintaining integrity and competitive balance in athletic competitions.”
“It’s just straight up discrimination,” the teen stated.
Attorneys representing the 15-year-old transgender teen argue that the new law violated the teen’s Title IX rights, which prohibits sex-based discrimination.
“Sports has been a source of joy for her and has been the primary way she makes friends and experiences a sense of belonging and connection to others. Soccer is her real passion,” the lawsuit stated. “She played on the girls’ soccer team last year in ninth grade and is excited to rejoin her team when the season officially starts again.”
Chief Judge Landya B. McCafferty was the judge who ruled in favor of the transgender teen’s family. In her ruling, she stated the state and school district “must permit plaintiff Parker Tirrell to try out for, practice with, compete with, and play on the school sports teams designated for girls on the same terms and conditions as other girls.”
Due to the law going into effect a day before the season started, the lawyers for the teenager filed an emergency order ahead of the first soccer practice of the year.
“Parker’s on her way to soccer practice now,” said Chris Erchull, the attorney representing the teen.
Coincidentally, the teen’s younger sibling also identifies as transgender and plans to try out for the girls’ tennis and track teams.
Judge McCafferty’s ruling will remain in effect until the following hearing, which is scheduled to take place on August 27th.
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