Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman is in violation of New York’s Human Rights Law and Civil Rights Law, according to a lawsuit filed by the Long Island Roller Rebels. The roller derby league said Blakeman’s February order, which bans transgender women from playing on all-female teams in county facilities, is discriminatory.
“To comply with the order, these groups—and the people who participate in and run them—will be forced to make invasive inquiries about people’s gender identity, intrude upon their privacy and bodily autonomy, and ‘out’ people as transgender,” according to court documents filed by the New York Civil Liberties Union on behalf of the league.
“If these groups want to continue using Nassau County facilities, they will have to expel transgender women and girls from their teams or leagues based solely on their gender identity. All of this is prohibited by clear New York state's anti-discrimination law.”
Blakeman said his executive order is meant to protect biological women’s safety and prevent bullying.
“We believe that women and girls are a protected class under federal law and the United States Constitution and that we have an obligation to protect women and girls here in Nassau County,” Blakeman said about the league’s lawsuit.
Blakeman and the county are plaintiffs in a separate action against New York State Attorney General Letitia James. This month, the county filed suit in federal court in response to the AG’s “cease and desist” letter, which threatened Blakeman with legal action if he didn’t rescind the order. That lawsuit seeks a ruling to affirm the legality of Blakeman’s ban.
Blakeman’s ban requires sports teams to designate whether they are male, female or co-ed based on members’ biological sex at birth to qualify for a permit to use the county’s facilities.
