NEW YORK (1010 WINS/WCBS 880) – New York Attorney General Letitia James on Friday demanded Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman rescind an executive order that bans transgender athletes from taking part in girls’ sports at county facilities.
The order named, “An Executive Order for Fairness for Women and Girls in Sports” which went into effect immediately last week, bans transgender women and girls from participating in women’s and girls’ teams at county-run sports facilities.
It also establishes new requirements that prohibit the Nassau County Department of Parks, Recreation, and Museums from issuing permits to any women’s or girls’ sports team with transgender players.
James demanded that Nassau County rescind the order in five days or else she will take additional legal action.
James highlighted that the order is in violation of New York’s Civil and Human Rights Laws.
"The law is perfectly clear: you cannot discriminate against a person because of their gender identity or expression,” James said. “We have no room for hate or bigotry in New York.This executive order is transphobic and blatantly illegal. Nassau County must immediately rescind the order, or we will not hesitate to take decisive legal action.”
The executive order would further “impose undue increased scrutiny on women’s and girls’ teams and leagues and will also subject all athletes on women’s and girls’ sports teams to intrusive and invasive questioning and other verification requirements,” according to James.
The order applies to over 100 venues, including general playing fields in parks, baseball, football, and soccer fields, basketball and tennis courts.
Blakeman signed the order at county headquarters in Mineola on Feb. 22. The Republican county executive said the order is in response to complaints from parents and female athletes who believe allowing biological boys to compete alongside girls is unfair. He said it will “help protect the integrity of women’s sports in Nassau County.”
“What we are saying here today with our executive order is if a league or team identifies themselves, or advertises themselves, to be a girls' or women's league or team that biological males should not be competing in those leagues,” Blakeman said at the event. “They can compete if they like in an all-boys or all-males league or a co-ed league. So this is not precluding anybody from participating in sports.”
The order is likely to end up in court, with the New York LGBT Network saying in response that state law “explicitly protects the rights of transgender individuals, ensuring their equal participation in all aspects of life, including sports.”
The group’s president, Dr. David Kilmnick, called the executive order illegal and said Blakeman is “furthering a divisive and harmful agenda.”
“This discriminatory move not only undermines the principles of inclusivity and fairness but also perpetuates harmful stereotypes and exclusion,” Kilmnick said in a statement.
“It is also deeply alarming that Blakeman has chosen to align himself with an extremist group like the Loud Majority, known for its dangerous ideologies, who will stand alongside Mr. Blakeman in support of this ban,” the statement continued. “The Southern Poverty Law Center has identified the Loud Majority as a threat to civil rights and social harmony. Their alignment with the County Executive should be frightening to all Nassau County residents, as it signals a divisive and harmful agenda.”