OutFront Minnesota supports the Minnesota High School League’s effort to assure appropriate inclusion of transgender students in the sports programs. The League allows participation for all students regardless of their gender identity or expression. Please voice your support for the rights of trans athletes to bring their full, authentic self to school and extra-curricular activities by contacting the Minnesota State High School League: mshsl.org/mshsl/aboutmshsl.asp?page=5 We also encourage you to attend an informal workshop at the League Office, 2100 Freeway Boulevard Brooklyn Center, at 3pm this Wednesday, October 1 where you may have a chance to participate in conversation about the policy. The League is also holding a board meeting at 9:00 am on Thursday, October 2 where they are scheduled to vote and you could attend to show your support. The purpose of the Leagues draft policy is to designate a set of criteria in which student athletes are able to compete on a level playing field in a safe, competitive and friendly environment, free of discrimination. Fundamental fairness, as well as most local, state and federal rules and regulations require schools to provide transgender students with equal opportunities to participate in athletics. In the past few days, through a series of misleading emails and a derogatory, full-page newspaper ad, the Child Protection League and other opponents of LGBTQ equality have been hard at work trying to spread fear about the High School Leagues draft policy pertaining to transgender student athletes. The opposition is maligning transgender youth and insisting they should not be able to participate in high-school related activities in their appropriate gender. The High School League is working to have a responsible conversation about how to assure that transgender youth have the opportunity all students have to take part in athletic programs – and to do so forthrightly as the people they are. The policy creates a mechanism for students, their parents, their doctors and school officials to make thoughtful, case-by-case determinations on how students will be included in sports teams. The League will leave it up to schools to decide such questions as locker-room assignments and similar accommodations. It recommends training around properly including transgender students in sports programs, but makes no demands on a school to do so. The conduct of the opposition is harmful and shows us how much work there still needs to be done to make Minnesota a place where all people can simply be who they are with out fear of harassment, discrimination or violence.
Posted on: Mon, 29 Sep 2014 22:01:52 +0000
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