The U.S. Department of Justice filed a federal lawsuit against Minnesota on Monday, alleging that the state’s current athletic and privacy policies violate Title IX by allowing biological males to compete in female sports and access female-only intimate spaces.
The civil rights complaint targets the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) and the Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL).
Federal officials argue that by requiring girls to compete against athletes born male and allowing access to multi-person locker rooms and bathrooms based on gender identity, the state is engaging in intentional sex-based discrimination.
According to the filing, these practices create an “unfair competition” environment and deny female athletes equal opportunities while increasing the risk of physical injury and psychological harm. The MDE currently receives over $3 billion in federal funding, which the DOJ notes is contingent upon strict adherence to Title IX’s anti-discrimination protections.
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Attorney General Pam Bondi stated that the administration will not overlook state policies that “ignore biological reality” and undermine female athletes. “This Department of Justice is proud to partner with HHS and the Department of Education to protect our girls in Minnesota and across the country,” Bondi said.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon, who leads the Civil Rights Division, characterized the state’s actions as “brazen defiance” of federal law. Dhillon argued that the policies deny women their “hard-earned trophies, records, dignity, and safety” in favor of what she termed radical ideology.
The lawsuit seeks a court order to stop these practices, as well as damages for the alleged violations. Supporting the move, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. emphasized that schools receiving federal money must protect the “rights, safety, and dignity of female students.”
Education Secretary Linda McMahon added that the current Minnesota standards allow for an erosion of equal access. “Minnesota’s policies allow men to dominate women’s sports, denying female athletes fair competition,” McMahon said.
The MSHSL currently oversees athletic policies for more than 500 member schools. Under the legal theory presented by the DOJ, both the league and the state education department are responsible for ensuring that federal Title IX mandates are upheld at the local level.
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