A judge for the New York Supreme Court on Monday ruled that Nassau County’s ban prohibiting transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports at county-run spaces is legal.
In a win for the Republican-controlled county on Long Island, Justice Bruce Cozzens said the ban is designed to “protect women and girls in sports” and still allows transgender athletes to compete in co-ed sports leagues at county facilities. They just can’t compete on women’s sports teams.”
“The Court agrees that this Local Law is narrowly tailored to achieve the objectives and does not categorically exclude transgender individuals from athletic participation,” he wrote. “The law regulates access to women and girls categories in the County run facilities for organized athletic events.”
The order keeps the ban on transgender athletes in place after it was signed into law by Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman last year.
“We are grateful that the court found our legislation to be valid and legal,” the Republican official said. “We will continue to protect girls and women from unsafe and unfair competition.”
The ban initially took the form of an executive order, but that was struck down because of a lawsuit. The court loss prompted the Nassau County legislature to pass a bill enacting the ban. Monday’s ruling stems from litigation that challenged this law.
Both lawsuits were filed by a local women’s roller derby league, called the Long Island Roller Rebels, and the New York Civil Liberties Union. The plaintiffs argued the law violates state anti-discrimination laws, and they plan to challenge Monday’s order.
“The ruling flies in the face of state law, which makes clear that Nassau’s ban is discriminatory. Despite this setback, we’ll keep fighting to ensure trans girls and women can play sports freely, just like everyone else,” the NYCLU said in a statement.
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“This fight is bigger than one league. It is about every trans person’s right to exist and to play,” Curly Fry, president of the Long Island Roller Rebels, added. “Derby has been a haven for queer and trans people, and we will keep fighting to honor that legacy.”
The civil rights group is leading a separate lawsuit against a school district in Nassau County over its bathroom policy that bars transgender students from accessing restrooms and locker rooms based on their gender identity. Instead, they are required to use private facilities in accordance with their biological sex. That lawsuit was filed on Friday.
, 2025-10-06 23:56:00, 
, Washington Examiner, %%https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/cropped-favicon.png?w=32, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/feed/, David Zimmermann
