USA Powerlifting was ordered to allow transgender women to compete with biological women in the women’s division after losing a discrimination case.
The decision drew the ire of many on social media, including ESPN host Sage Steele, who noted that the news caused a sensation at the start of Women’s History Month.
«Yes. Unfair to women,» he said in response to a tweet from Twitter CEO Elon Musk. «And the irony that this decision was made during Women’s History Month…
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Sage Steele speaks onstage during The Players Tailgate presented by Bobby Flay and presented by Bullseye Event Group for Super Bowl LVII on February 12, 2023 in Phoenix. (Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Bullseye Event Group)
«The hypocrisy continues…»
She wasn’t the only one to speak out about the decision.
JayCee Cooper, a transgender athlete, won a discrimination case against USA Powerlifting last week after the federation banned her from competing in women’s events.
With Cooper’s victory comes a mandate to the federation to «cease and desist all unfair discriminatory practices» based on sexual orientation and gender identity. The organization is due to revise its policy related to those issues within two weeks, which means that trans athletes will be able to compete in the women’s category after being previously banned.
USA POWERLIFTING SHOULD ALLOW TRANSGENDER ATHLETES TO COMPETE IN FEMALE DIVISION AFTER LOSING DISCRIMINATION CASE
Cooper filed a complaint in 2019 with the Minnesota Department of Human Rights, alleging that the organization violated the state’s Human Rights Law by barring her and other trans athletes from competing in women’s competition.
He then filed a lawsuit against USA Powerlifting in state court in 2021.
«The harm is in making a person pretend to be something different, the implicit message is that who they are is less than.» said the ruling. «That is the very essence of separation and segregation, and it is what the MHRA prohibits.»
USA Powerlifting will consider an appeal.
“Our position has been aimed at balancing the needs of cis and transgender women whose abilities differ significantly in pure strength sports,” USA Powerlifting President Larry Maile said in a statement.
However, the court cited «an increased risk of depression and suicide, lack of access to training and practice facilities, or other suppression of performance common to transgender individuals» as competitive disadvantages for transgender competitors.
According to Open Powerlifting, Cooper last competed at the 2022 AMP Classic Open Nationals in Texas, where he finished third out of three competitors in his division.
«SportsCenter» host Sage Steele at the espnW Women + Sports Summit held at The Resort at Pelican Hill on October 23, 2019 in Newport Beach, California. (Meg Oliphant/Getty Images)
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Cooper competed twice against a lone competitor, Rebecca Richnofsky, in the open women’s raw 198+ category in 2019, winning both times. At the 2019 USPA National Championships, she finished fourth out of four competitors in that category.
Fox News’ Ryan Morik contributed to this report.