DOJ files formal support for Idaho law protecting women's sports
Friday, Jun 19, 2020
The following quote may be attributed to Alliance Defending Freedom Legal Counsel Christiana Holcomb regarding the U.S. Department of Justice’s statement of interest filed in federal district court Friday in support of Idaho’s Fairness in Women’s Sports Act, a newly enacted law that protects female athletes from being forced to compete against males who identify as female:
“We commend the DOJ for supporting a level playing field for female athletes. Idaho passed the Fairness in Women’s Sports Act because it seeks to protect equal athletic opportunities for girls and women across Idaho. The DOJ correctly points out that the Constitution’s ‘Equal Protection Clause allows Idaho to recognize the average physiological differences between the biological sexes in athletics’ and to refuse to give special treatment to males who demand access to girls’ teams. By protecting all-girls’ sports, the state is ensuring that female athletes continue to enjoy equal opportunities to compete for and enjoy the life-long benefits that flow from school athletics. That’s good news for our clients and all female athletes who simply seek fairness in sports.”
The DOJ filed its statement of interest with the U.S. District Court for the District of Idaho in Hecox v. Little, in which ADF attorneys represent female athletes in Idaho who are seeking to intervene in court to defend the state’s Fairness in Women’s Sports Act against an ACLU lawsuit attacking the new law.
Alliance Defending Freedom is an alliance-building, non-profit legal organization that advocates for the right of people to freely live out their faith.
“We commend the DOJ for supporting a level playing field for female athletes. Idaho passed the Fairness in Women’s Sports Act because it seeks to protect equal athletic opportunities for girls and women across Idaho. The DOJ correctly points out that the Constitution’s ‘Equal Protection Clause allows Idaho to recognize the average physiological differences between the biological sexes in athletics’ and to refuse to give special treatment to males who demand access to girls’ teams. By protecting all-girls’ sports, the state is ensuring that female athletes continue to enjoy equal opportunities to compete for and enjoy the life-long benefits that flow from school athletics. That’s good news for our clients and all female athletes who simply seek fairness in sports.”
The DOJ filed its statement of interest with the U.S. District Court for the District of Idaho in Hecox v. Little, in which ADF attorneys represent female athletes in Idaho who are seeking to intervene in court to defend the state’s Fairness in Women’s Sports Act against an ACLU lawsuit attacking the new law.
Alliance Defending Freedom is an alliance-building, non-profit legal organization that advocates for the right of people to freely live out their faith.
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