Minneapolis, MN — The Minnesota Supreme Court issued a landmark ruling today in Cooper v. USA Powerlifting, unanimously holding that the Minnesota Human Rights Act prohibits discrimination against transgender people in sports. This confirms that transgender people have a right not only to participate in sports organizations but also to participate in all other public accommodations operating in Minnesota, from restaurants, to gyms, to shopping centers, free from targeted discrimination. The Court’s order sets strong precedent for future litigants and confirms that transgender people may bring discrimination claims in the same manner as those brought by members of any other protected group.
“Today’s unanimous opinion reaffirmed multiple bedrock principles of the Minnesota Human Rights Act that will assist all plaintiffs seeking to vindicate their rights to equal treatment,” said Riley Palmer, Associate at Nichols Kaster, PLLP. “This serves as an important reminder that the attacks on transgender rights, and issues raised in these cases, are not just attacks on transgender people—they implicate the rights of all Minnesotans. I am glad that today the Minnesota Supreme Court held on the side of civil rights for all, not a select few.”
While today’s decision is cause for celebration, it arrives at a time of extensive attacks on transgender people’s right to equal treatment and bodily autonomy. In the face of these rising challenges, Nichols Kaster, PLLP will continue to fight for Minnesotans who have experienced discrimination.
For more background on this case, click here.
JayCee Cooper is represented by Nichols Kaster, PLLP, Gender Justice, Schlesinger PLLC, and Premo Frank PLLC.