Gov. Walz: Minnesota will 'continue to treat transgender athletes with dignity’
Gov. Walz: ‘We can continue to treat transgender athletes with dignity’
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz reacted Tuesday after the U.S. Supreme court upheld state laws banning transgender athletes from female sports teams. With the laws up to individual states, Walz said Minnesota will continue to treat transgender athletes with dignity, humanity and respect, and nothing will change.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - The United States Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld state laws banning transgender athletes from female sports teams.
It’s considered a win for supporters of laws they say protect fairness in women’s sports.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, appearing at an event to unveil the Office of Public Service, says nothing will change in Minnesota with the laws up to individual states.
Gov. Walz reacts
What they're saying:
Walz called the ruling a mixed bag on Tuesday.
"The Supreme Court has allowed states to be as cruel as they want to be to transgender people. They’ve also allowed states like Minnesota to be as kind and welcoming as they can, so I kind of view this as a mixed bag. We’re going to view it as a positive considering what could have been done," Walz said. "In Minnesota, we can continue to treat our transgender athletes and youth with dignity and humanity and respect. We’ll continue to do that, nothing will change there. Anything that gets kids involved, I want them to be involved. This idea of folks who have never been to any youth event are hell-bent on making sure some kid doesn’t participate in bowling is ludicrous. I think Minnesotans find there’s a lot of other things to worry about than three little kids wanting to play sports somewhere."
Minnesota was a hot topic when it came to transgender athletes on girls’ sports teams.
In 2024, the Champlin Park girls’ softball team won a state championship, with a transgender starting pitcher.
Champlin Park trans softball player lawsuit
An advocacy group has filed a lawsuit over transgender athletes competing in girls' sports in Minnesota seeking an injunction that would block a Champlin Park softball pitcher who has become one of the best in the state.
Supreme Court ruling
The backstory:
The decision upholds laws from two consolidated cases challenging laws in Idaho and West Virginia that restrict participation in girls’ and women’s school based on a student’s sex assigned at birth.
The ruling is expected to strengthen similar laws already on the books in about half the states, while setting a nationwide precedent in one of the country’s most closely watched legal battles over transgender rights.
Individual states will now have the authority to make the decision whether to ban transgender athletes from competing in female sports.
Several U.S. states have passed bans on preventing transgender girls and women from participating in women's sports.