Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird today announced two separate actions defending state laws that ensure opportunity and fairness in girls’ sports. The multistate actions urge the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold Idaho and West Virginia laws that protect female athletes.
“Girls deserve the opportunity to compete and succeed in the sports they love,” said Attorney General Bird. “Allowing boys to compete in girls’ sports not only robs girls of opportunities, but it puts them in direct danger by forcing them to compete against boys who are biologically bigger than them. Idaho and West Virginia have every right to pass laws protecting young women and girls in sports, just as we led the charge to do here in Iowa.”
Idaho: Fairness in Women’s Sports Act
Attorney General Bird joined a 26-state coalition in supporting Idaho’s Fairness in Women’s Sports Act. The States make the case that allowing boys to compete in girls’ sports undermines Title IX’s purpose, which is to ensure both sexes have equal access to educational opportunities, including sports.
West Virginia: Save Women’s Sports Act
Attorney General Bird joined a 26-state coalition in defense of West Virginia’s Save Women’s Sports Act. The States make the case that West Virgina’s law is constitutional.
Both laws protect female athletes and ensure girls have the opportunity to compete on a fair playing field. The States call on the U.S. Supreme Court to hear both cases after lower court rulings temporarily blocked enforcement of the laws. In 2022, Governor Kim Reynolds signed a similar law to preserve girls’ sports for girls in Iowa.
Read the amicus brief defending Idaho’s law here.
Read the amicus brief defending West Virginia’s law here.
