October 30, 2019 (LifeSiteNews) – Three high schoolers, who allege being pushed out of girls' competitions because of a Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference (CIAC) policy that allows biological males claiming to be “girls,” will have their complaint heard by the federal Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR).
Selina Soule, a senior from Glastonbury, Connecticut, and two other girls, who remain unnamed out of fear of retaliation, lodged a complaint with the help of their legal team from Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF).
The complaint alleges that CIAC’s policy discriminates against biological girls and violates their Title IX rights.
Title IX was implemented in 1972 to help ensure that girls would have the same opportunities in sports as boys, and most observers agree that it has been successful.
But Title IX never anticipated that boys would seek to compete as girls and does not mention “gender identity.”
In Connecticut and 19 other states, girls are now forced to compete against biological boys claiming to be “girls,” and these policies unfairly deprive biological girls of the right to a level playing field in competitions that they can never win despite their best efforts.
CIAC’s policy, and those of other states, also deprives female athletes of their right to fairly compete for college scholarships and other accolades.
And, separately, these policies put girls in harm’s way in contact sports.
The fact that the OCR has opened an investigation is welcome news to both Soule and ADF. Christina Holcomb, legal counsel for ADF, told the MiddletownPress: “It’s certainly a step in the right direction. We are optimistic now that OCR has opened an investigation that it will ultimately conclude that the (CIAC) violated Title IX by allowing biological males to compete in girls’ athletics.”
Soule told the MiddletownPress that she is “grateful” that the OCR investigation is underway.
“Girls should never be simply spectators in their own sport; they deserve to compete on a level playing field,” she said. “I hope that this important step will help return fairness to the sport I love, for me and for all girls who dream big.”
A LifeSite petition supporting Soule and her complaint against the CIAC has been signed by more than 60,000 people. Would you consider reading the petition, and SIGNING and SHARING, today?
The growing concern surrounding this issue involves more than just three female high school athletes from Connecticut. In fact, this complaint is representative of similar discrimination experienced by female high school athletes around the country.
The nation must support Selina and all of the girls who have worked so hard to achieve their dreams in athletics.
Please CLICK HERE to read and SIGN the petition to keep girls' sports for biological girls only.