On Sept. 9, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit unanimously affirmed a trial court decision blocking enforcement of Arizona’s law barring transgender girls in public schools from playing on any girls’ teams, media outlets reported.
According to a press release from the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR), the case was brought by two transgender girls who are receiving medical treatment for gender dysphoria—the medical term for the distress experienced when a person’s biological sex does not match that person’s gender identity.
“Today’s ruling from the 9th Circuit is a relief for our family,” said Helen Doe, mother of plaintiff Jane Doe. “With this ruling, our daughter can continue to play with her friends, make new friends, and experience all the benefits that school sports have to offer.”
The decision read, in part, “We hold that the district court did not abuse its discretion by granting Plaintiffs’ motion for a narrow preliminary injunction. We note that nothing in today’s decision, or in the district court’s decision, precludes policymakers from adopting appropriate regulations in this field—regulations that are substantially related to important governmental objectives.”
The two girls can continue to play on girls’ teams while the case proceeds to trial. The decision applies specifically to them, Tucson.com noted.
Republican Superintendent of Public Schools Tom Horne, who backed the law, said he was not surprised by the ruling. “The 9th Circuit is very left wing,” he said. “They’re the most reversed circuit in the country.”
NCLR, Debevoise & Plimpton LLP, and Osborn Maledon P.A. are representing the plaintiffs.