The New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU) is suing Nassau County over an executive order banning transgender girls and women from participating in girls’ and women’s sports.
“Trans people who play sports need support and affirmation, not to be a political target,” NYCLU attorney Gabriella Larios said in a statement announcing the suit Monday. “Nassau County’s cynical attempt to shut them out of public spaces is a blatant violation of our state’s civil and human rights laws.”
NYCLU is the state affiliate of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). The organization immediately stated its intentions to challenge the order when it was issued last month.
The civil liberties group filed its lawsuit on behalf of the Long Island Roller Rebels, a roller derby team that participates in bouts on the island.
“This policy would bar them from public-run venues where they would otherwise play just because they believe in inclusion and reject transphobia,” the ACLU charged on social media Monday.
The ACLU further alleges that Nassau County athletes wishing to participate in athletic competition would be subject to “invasive inquiries” that would violate personal privacy, infringe upon bodily autonomy and “‘out’ people as transgender.” The order would impact more than 100 athletic venues operated by the county, including playing fields, basketball and tennis courts, swimming pools and ice rinks.
The suit also accuses county officials of violating New York State’s Human Rights and Civil Rights Law and defying guidance from the state’s Department of Education, which calls for allowing students to participate in physical education and athletics according to their gender identity.
Roller Rebels skater Curly Fry calls Nassau County’s policy “cruel” and says it sends a “dangerous message that trans people don’t belong in Nassau County.”
The team is slated to host its 2024 home opener on April 27 at Skate Safe America in Old Bethpage, which isn’t operated by the county.
Attorney General Letitia James responded to Nassau County’s Feb. 22 decree by demanding county officials rescind the order.
Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman said last week he’d filed a federal lawsuit against the attorney general’s office “to protect women’s sports and ensure a safe environment for women.”
The Republican leader said at a press conference last month “he wanted to get ahead of the curve” by enacting policies prohibiting transgender girls and women from attempting to compete in leagues or on teams designated for females.
Nassau County officials haven’t returned a request for comment with regards to the ACLU suit.
Gov. Hochul has accused bureaucrats there of “trying to score cheap political points by putting a target on the backs of some of our state’s most vulnerable children.”
