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Minnesota sued over biological males in sports policies
The Trump administration is suing Minnesota over its education department and state high school league’s policies allowing biological males to compete in girls’ sports. FOX 9’s Soyoung Kim outlines the latest legal back-and-forth battle of political football.
(FOX 9) - The Department of Justice has filed a lawsuit against the State of Minnesota over alleged Title IX violations for allowing athletes who were assigned male at birth to compete in girls' sports.
The backstory:
In Sept. 2025, the Trump administration found Minnesota in violation of Title IX by allowing athletes assigned male at birth to compete in girls sports.
The findings followed a civil rights investigation by the Department of Education and Department of Health and Human Services. The investigation found Minnesota had allowed trans athletes to compete in several girls' sports, including Alpine skiing, Nordic skiing, lacrosse, track and field, volleyball, and fastpitch softball.
Dig deeper:
A lawsuit over a softball pitcher in Minnesota is what sparked the investigation last year. An advocacy group representing several Minnesota high school softball players asked a court for an injunction to block a trans pitcher from competing for Champlin Park. The pitcher in question is considered one of the best pitchers in the state and helped lead Champlin Park to its first-ever state title in 2025.
What the lawsuit says
What they're saying:
"The United States files this action to stop Minnesota's unapologetic sex discrimination against female student athletes," the opening sentence of the lawsuit reads. "But Minnesota casts this aside in favor of so-called 'gender identity,' a choice that elevates ideology over biology, fairness, and safety."
Local perspective:
In the lawsuit, the Department of Justice points out the nearly $3 billion the State of Minnesota receives from the Department of Education and says that the state agrees to abide by Title IX as a requirement to receive that funding.
The DOJ is asking the court to force the state to abide by Title IX when it comes to athletes assigned male at birth competing in girls' sports. The DOJ is also seeking monetary penalties against Minnesota for the Title IX violations.
Minnesota leaders respond
The other side:
In a statement to FOX 9, a statement from Attorney General Keith Ellison calls the lawsuit a distraction:
"Donald Trump is currently facing an unpopular war that he launched, rising gas prices, massive health insurance price hikes, and a partial government shutdown caused in part by his ICE agents killing two Minnesotans in broad daylight. It is astonishing that any president would try to target, shame, and harass children just trying to be themselves, let alone a president with so many actual problems to address.
"In April of last year, I sued the Trump administration to stop them from targeting trans kids who just want to play on their school team. This new suit is just a sad attempt to get attention over something that's already been in litigation for months. I will continue to stand up to the Trump administration and do everything in my power to stop them from bullying vulnerable children in Minnesota."
In a statement, a Minnesota Department of Education spokesperson said: "The Minnesota Department of Education is reviewing the filing and remains committed to ensuring every child— regardless of background, zip code, or ability—has access to a world-class education and every opportunity to thrive as their authentic self in safe, supportive school communities."
Timeline of trans athlete battle
Timeline:
Here's a look at the timeline leading up to Monday's lawsuit:
- Feb. 5, 2025: Trump issued an executive order on transgender athletes participating in girls' sports.
- Feb. 12, 2025: The Department of Education announces an investigation into the Minnesota State High School League.
- April 2025: Minnesota sues the Trump admin preemptively to stop the admin from yanking federal funds over alleged Title IX violations.
- May 2025: An advocacy group files a lawsuit on behalf of Minnesota softball players against Minnesota. Because of this lawsuit, the Department of Education elevated its Title IX civil rights review.
- Sept 2025: A judge denies an injunction over the Champlin Park softball player.
- Sept. 2025: The DOE finds Minnesota in violation of Title IX.
- Jan. 2026: Oral arguments are delivered in the appeal in the Champlin Park case.
- Monday: The DOJ sues Minnesota over Title IX violations.