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Legal Action Initiated by Minnesota Attorney General: Challenging Trump's Transgender Sports Ban before Implementation
Attorney General Ellison Takes a Stand: A Preemptive Strike Against Trump's Transgender Sports Policy
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison is taking a firm stand against President Trump's administration, filing a lawsuit on Tuesday aimed at halting any actions that might target Minnesota's transgender community, specifically focusing on policies affecting transgender athletes in girls' and women's sports.
At a press conference, Ellison declared, "We're here to stop President Trump and his administration from bullying vulnerable children in this state." His statement mirrors the opening line from the lawsuit, which names Trump and his Attorney General, Pam Bondi.
Bondi, in announcing the administration's lawsuit against Maine last week, warned that Minnesota and California could be next. This action followed weeks of public feuding between Trump and Democratic Governor Janet Mills of Maine, culminating in a clash at the White House when Mills told Trump, "We'll see you in court."
Ellison is determined to be proactive, aiming to beat Trump and Bondi to the courthouse.
The lawsuit challenges two executive orders issued by Trump in 2025, targeting transgender individuals. It seeks to prevent the enforcement of these orders and block federal funding threats against Minnesota schools. Ellison argued that these orders violate the constitutional separation of powers by usurping Congress' authority to legislate and contravene federal law known as Title IX, which prohibits sex-based discrimination in education programs and activities that receive federal funds.
Minnesota has protected transgender rights since 1993, and Governor Tim Walz signed legislation in 2023, making the state a haven for transgender children coming from other states seeking gender-affirming care. A formal legal opinion issued by Ellison in February states that the state's human rights protections supersede Trump's executive order on sports, and his guidance is legally binding in Minnesota unless a court rules otherwise.
Ellison contended, "This isn't just a violation of law; it's a violation of Minnesota values." He expressed his resolve not to compromise the safety and well-being of transgender children for the sake of staying in Trump's good graces.
As of press time, the White House and Department of Justice have yet to respond to the lawsuit. However, House Speaker Lisa Demuth, the top Republican in state government, expressed her support for Trump's position. Demuth argued that keeping boys out of girls' sports is a more important issue than risking federal funding and engaging in political battles.
Parents of transgender children, human rights activists, and state Rep. Leigh Finke (St. Paul), Minnesota's first openly transgender legislator, stood alongside Ellison at the press conference. Finke addressed Trump and his supporters, urging them to understand that LGBTQ+ people have always existed across cultures and throughout history. She implored them to stop trying to restrict the rights and freedoms of LGBTQ+ individuals.
Dr. Kelsey Leonardsmith, who treats transgender children from several states at the Family Tree Clinic in Minneapolis and is a professor at the University of Minnesota Medical School, indicated that transgender girls and women are already underrepresented in sports and make up just a tiny percentage of student athletes. She disputed the notion that allowing them to participate in girls' sports gives them an unfair advantage and endangers other girls. Leonardsmith argued that excluding transgender girls harms everyone involved, denying them opportunities for physical activity, fitness, and belonging, and sending a harmful message that minimizes their identities.
- Attorney General Ellison, along with transgender children's parents and human rights activists, urged President Trump and his supporters to stop treating the LGBTQ+ community unfairly.
- ellison, in the lawsuit, warned that Trump's executive orders targeting transgender individuals in 2025 could violate science, health-and-wellness, and the constitutional separation of powers by usurping Congress' authority to legislate.
- As the legal battle between the Trump administration and states like Minnesota continues, politics and general news remain saturated with discussions on war-and-conflicts, consequently sidelining health-and-wellness and science-related matters, such as the necessity for transgender girls to participate in sports for their overall well-being.
- In February, Ellison issued a formal legal opinion asserting that Minnesota's human rights protections supersede Trump's executive order on sports, emphasizing the importance of treating transgender children with respect and dignity.
- Despite a lack of response from the White House and Department of Justice regarding Ellison's lawsuit, House Speaker Lisa Demuth, a top Republican in state government, has publicly demonstrated her support for Trump's position on transgender athletes in girls' sports, arguing for preserving fairness in sports despite the risk of losing federal funding and engaging in political battles.
