Add The New York Post on Google Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman applauded the US Supreme Court’s ruling upholding state bans on transgender athletes competing in women’s sports Tuesday — as the court battle over Nassau County’s own edict continued.
Blakeman, the Nassau executive, banned trans athletes from participating on women’s sports teams in county-owned facilities, a prohibition that state Attorney General Letitia James has challenged in court.
“We made history in Nassau County when I signed the nation’s first executive order protecting girls’ sports,” Blakeman said in a statement Tuesday.
Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman applauded the US Supreme Court’s ruling upholding state bans on transgender athletes competing in women’s sports Tuesday. Stefano Giovannini for NY Post “Today, the Supreme Court affirmed the constitutional rights of women and girls to be protected from unfair and unsafe competition by biological males,” he said — before taking aim at Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul.
“But while the Court stood up for our daughters, Kathy Hochul continues putting them in danger by forcing biological males onto their teams,” he said, accusing his election opponent of discriminating against biological female athletes.
A state supreme court just last fall upheld Nassau’s ban, which is in effect pending an appeal from opponents, including the AG, Blakeman’s office said.
Nassau County Supreme Court Justice Bruce Cozzens ruled that Nassau’s law was legal and meant to “protect women and girls in sports.”
The Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that states can bar transgender female competitors from playing girls’ sports in a landmark decision with major implications for more than half the country. Sue Dorfman/ZUMA / SplashNews.com But the Long Island Roller Rebels — an adult recreational women’s roller derby league based in Nassau for the last two decades — had sued over the law, with the New York Civil Liberties Union representing them.
They are now appealing the state court ruling, with James’ support.
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And the SCOTUS decision won’t affect the ongoing legal fight, the AG claimed.
James condemned the Supreme Court ruling — but said it left the decision on how to handle trans sports to the states, meaning the challenge to Nassau’s law continues, according to her office.
“Across the nation, we have seen states and localities pass cruel and discriminatory laws targeting the trans community. Today, the Supreme Court has decided to continue down this dangerous and harmful path,” James said.
“So much of the conversation around transgender athletes forgets that there are real people impacted by these policies. Sports teams are essential settings for young adults to build camaraderie, friendships, and life-long skills. Today’s ruling ignores fact, science, and decency in favor of abandoning young trans people nationwide.”
