Broward girl, 13, sues over transgender school athletes ban

A national LGBTQ rights organization sued Gov. Ron DeSantis and Broward schools over the new law blocking transgender girls from competing as girls in sporting events.

The lawsuit was filed Wednesday in federal court on behalf of a Broward 13-year-old who was assigned male at birth but has played on girls’ teams from the age of seven.

The girl is referred to as “Daisy” in the lawsuit, and she is now in middle school. According to the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, which filed the suit, Daisy intends to try out for volleyball when she gets to high school.

But under the “Fairness in Women’s Sports Act” signed by the governor in June and effective Thursday, Daisy will be required to out herself as transgender and try out for boys teams if she wants to continue to participate in sports.

While the School Board of Broward County is named as a defendant in the lawsuit, it already has issued a proclamation denouncing the law. Board members acknowledged the law still must be followed.

DeSantis promoted the law as a matter of fairness, arguing that girls are at a disadvantage in certain sports if they have to compete against boys, especially as they get older.

But the Human Rights Commission argues that the law is discriminatory and will deprive Daisy of opportunities based on her gender identity.

“Depriving her of these opportunities will have a long-term impact on her future. It also will create a sense of shame and diminish her positive sense of self, which can have lifelong consequences,” the suit says. The new law “also sends a message to (Daisy’s) current and future teammates that there is something wrong with her.”

Daisy and her family declined to be interviewed through their attorney.

Attorney Rosalyn Richter, lead counsel for Daisy and her family, said DeSantis and other supporters of the ban are on shaky ground when they claim transgender girls have an advantage over those who were born anatomically female.

“The NCAA, the US Olympics, and the American Society of Pediatrics have all done extensive scientific and medical studies about the impact of blocking testosterone for an extended period of time and having girls on estrogen for an extended period of time,” she said. “The competitive advantage they allege simply does not exist on the field.”

DeSantis signed the bill on June 1, the first day of Pride Month. The bill requires anyone participating in girls athletics to have an original birth certificate that states they are female.

Richter said the state allows people to change their gender identity and name on their birth certificate and should allow transgender students to participate according to their identity.

The governor’s office did not respond to a request for comment Wednesday afternoon.