Family Policy Alliance of Idaho Responds to Ruling on Idaho’s “Fairness in Women’s Sports Act”

August 18
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 18, 2020

Family Policy Alliance of Idaho Responds to Ruling on Idaho’s “Fairness in Women’s Sports Act”

Although an Idaho judge granted a temporary injunction against the groundbreaking new law, Family Policy Alliance is confident that ultimately the law will be vindicated in court

BOISE, Idaho – Family Policy Alliance of Idaho – a pro-family ministry – is disappointed that a federal judge has temporarily enjoined the Fairness in Women’s Sports Act, a groundbreaking Idaho law that protects fair play in school sports by preventing biological males from competing in girls’ high school and college sports. Medical experts have indisputably demonstrated that biological males have physiological advantages over female athletes.

“We know this law is constitutional, and we remain confident that ultimately it will be vindicated in court,” said Blaine Conzatti, director of advocacy for Family Policy Alliance of Idaho. “Attorney General Bill Barr and the US Department of Education both support this law as essential to preserving the spirit of Title IX for future generations of girls. We know the Fairness in Women’s Sports Act is on strong legal footing.”

The US Department of Education Office for Civil Rights issued a ruling earlier this summer that a Connecticut policy allowing boys to play in girls’ sports violates Title IX and could result in loss of federal funding. Similarly, the US Department of Justice filed a motion of support in the court proceedings for the Idaho law, arguing that the Equal Protection Clause of the US Constitution cannot be interpreted to “entitle” transgender athletes to “benefits at the expense of their peers.”

The preliminary injunction granted yesterday against the Fairness in Women’s Sports Act is only a temporary measure while the lawsuit moves forward. Importantly, the judge also allowed two female athletes from Idaho State University, represented by Alliance Defending Freedom, to intervene in favor of the law. The female athletes were forced to compete against a biologically male athlete at the Big Sky Conference Indoor Track & Field championships last year. All women in the event placed behind the biological male.

Recent polling shows that a majority of Americans – including majorities of Republicans, Democrats, and independents – agree that female athletes should not be forced to compete against biological men. “Idaho families know that every female athlete deserves a fair playing field in sports. There is nothing discriminatory about laws that protect equal opportunities for female athletes,” concluded Conzatti.”

 

Media Contact:

Robert Noland, (719) 308-2822, Media@FamilyPolicyAlliance.com

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Family Policy Alliance works to advance biblical citizenship and promote good public policy that protects religious freedom, families, and life.