In a quiet St. Paul courtroom, a pivotal legal moment unfolded last week—one that could profoundly influence the future of transgender inclusion in competitive sports. On Tuesday, the Minnesota Supreme Court heard arguments in a high-profile case involving JayCee Cooper, a transgender woman who has long sought the right to compete in the women’s division of USA Powerlifting (USAPL) events. The hearing marks the latest chapter in a yearslong legal saga that began when Cooper was initially barred from women’s powerlifting competitions, effectively challenging her identity and athletic dreams.
This legal battle is unfolding in a state that recently bolstered its protections for transgender individuals, and it comes amid a national backdrop where transgender participation in sports and access to gender-affirming care remain hot-button issues. For many transgender athletes and their allies, the outcome of Cooper’s case may reverberate far beyond Minnesota’s borders, potentially setting new standards for fairness, inclusion, and respect in athletic competition.
A Controversial Exclusion
Back in 2018, when Cooper sought to participate in USAPL’s women’s division, the organization rejected her application. USAPL officials argued that because Cooper was assigned male at birth, she possessed inherent strength advantages over cisgender female athletes, making it “unfair,” in their view, for her to compete against women who did not share the same physiological history. But to many transgender athletes and advocates, the very argument—focusing on perceived broad-stroke differences rather than the capabilities of individual competitors—reeks of discrimination and plays into harmful stereotypes.
Cooper, supported by advocacy groups like Gender Justice, fought back. She filed a lawsuit in 2021, alleging that USAPL’s policies violated the Minnesota Human Rights Act (MHRA), a state law that explicitly forbids discrimination on the basis of sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity. The MHRA’s scope is broad and forward-thinking, and Minnesota’s recent legislative updates have only strengthened these protections. Transgender women, according to Cooper’s legal team, are women—full stop—and must not be segregated or excluded purely because of outdated assumptions or generalized ideas about their bodies.
A Ramsey County District Court initially sided with Cooper. However, the Minnesota Court of Appeals sent the case back to the trial court in March 2023, stating that there remained “genuine issues of fact” about whether USAPL had excluded Cooper specifically because she is transgender and whether the sports organization had a “legitimate business reason” for denying her entry into the women’s division. The ensuing legal stalemate propelled the case upward, landing squarely in front of Minnesota’s highest court this week.
Arguments at the Supreme Court
In Tuesday’s hearing, Cooper’s attorney, Christy Hall, wasted no time cutting to the heart of the matter. She argued that USAPL’s policy discriminates against transgender women as a class, using blanket assumptions instead of assessing athletes individually. Hall urged the justices to recognize that relying on stereotypes—such as the notion that all transgender women share uniform, insurmountable physical advantages over cisgender women—is simply a rebranding of old-school discrimination. Think about it: once upon a time, people argued women shouldn’t be firefighters because, on average, they’re less strong than men. Hall contends that such logic, when transported into the realm of sports, is similarly flawed and harmful.
USAPL’s attorney, Ansis Viksnins, tried to separate the group’s stance from anti-trans sentiment. According to him, the organization’s motive isn’t discrimination—it’s about preserving fairness. He argued that USAPL has a “legitimate, nondiscriminatory reason” to exclude transgender women, rooted in strength differences between cisgender men and women. To bolster their position, USAPL pointed to an “open” division they created in 2021 to accommodate all gender identities. Critics, however, say this so-called solution functions more like a segregated space that keeps transgender athletes out of the category that aligns with their identities, rather than welcoming them in.
Cultural and Political Backdrop
This case isn’t happening in a vacuum. Over the past several years, transgender participation in sports—and particularly in women’s sports—has become a political lightning rod. Former President Donald Trump and numerous Republican-led states have made restricting transgender athletes’ access to certain competitions a central policy goal. As of now, at least 24 states have implemented laws barring transgender women and girls from competing in certain female divisions. These policies not only affect high-level competitions but trickle down into youth and school sports, potentially discouraging transgender youth from participating in activities they love.
On a broader level, this legal fight dovetails with other battles over transgender rights. The U.S. Supreme Court is soon expected to consider whether states can ban gender-affirming healthcare for transgender minors. With the political winds swirling, Minnesota has positioned itself as a “trans refuge” state, updating its laws to explicitly protect gender identity and even welcoming those fleeing more hostile states. The Cooper case is, therefore, more than just about who can lift weights competitively; it’s about whether Minnesota’s vow to protect transgender people extends fully into athletic arenas.
The Stakes for Transgender Athletes
Transgender athletes face steep hurdles in almost every sport. From limited access to inclusive coaching environments to a lack of understanding from governing bodies, it often feels like navigating a playing field tilted at an impossible angle. Many face mental health challenges, too, including depression and anxiety fueled by discrimination and social isolation. The simple right to participate fully—without being singled out, mislabeled, or segregated—can have a profound impact on their well-being and self-confidence.
By arguing that transgender women must remain on the sidelines or in a separate category, opponents risk reinforcing a narrative that these women don’t truly belong. But this narrative ignores real-world complexities. Hormone therapy, training regimens, genetic variations, and body types vary widely among athletes. To lump all transgender women into a single “too strong, too unfair” category is to ignore individuality entirely. Inclusion advocates say a truly fair approach would examine athletes on a case-by-case basis, considering hormone levels, training histories, and performance metrics, rather than relying on broad assumptions.
A Closer Look at Fairness
The concept of fairness in sports is tricky. Sports often classify athletes into categories based on age, weight, or gender—an attempt at leveling the field. However, natural variations in height, arm length, muscle composition, and countless other factors already create competitive imbalances even among cisgender athletes. Elite sports often celebrate such genetic gifts when it comes to cisgender competitors; towering basketball players or swimmers with unusually large wingspans are admired, not banned.
When it comes to transgender athletes, some critics wield the concept of “fairness” like a shield, forgetting that competitive sports have never been a perfect meritocracy. Advocates question why so much skepticism gets aimed specifically at transgender women. Could it be that transphobia and misunderstandings about gender identity—rather than a principled concern for level competition—are driving these exclusions?
Community Response and Trans Empowerment
Organizations like Gender Justice have stood by Cooper, emphasizing that Minnesota’s Human Rights Act is crystal clear in forbidding discrimination based on gender identity. Community advocates highlight that this isn’t just about one athlete; it’s about setting a precedent and sending a message to transgender individuals everywhere that their identities and aspirations matter.
Transgender athletes and their allies know the emotional weight of these legal battles. Every court ruling, every legislative change, and every news story about trans exclusion sends a signal. A loss can feel like a door slamming shut on their participation and acceptance. A victory, meanwhile, can offer hope, saying: You belong here, and you deserve to compete just like anyone else.
State Senator Erin Maye Quade, who serves as an adviser to Gender Justice, put it succinctly after the hearing: “Minnesota has long been a leader in advancing justice. We are proud to be a trans refuge state, providing hope and support amid a national landscape that has grown increasingly hostile to transgender people.”
The Bottom Line
At the close of Tuesday’s hearing, the Minnesota Supreme Court justices took the case under advisement. There’s no official timeline for when they’ll issue a ruling. The decision won’t necessarily create a legal blueprint for other states, since it’s grounded in Minnesota’s unique laws. But that doesn’t mean it won’t carry moral and cultural weight.
For transgender athletes like Cooper—and for the many young people just discovering their love for sports—this case has become a symbolic litmus test. Will institutions finally treat transgender women as the women they are, acknowledging that inclusion, fairness, and respect can coexist? Or will the ruling reinforce barriers, making the pursuit of athletic dreams feel more like an uphill climb against entrenched prejudice?
One thing is certain: the story isn’t over. The Minnesota Supreme Court’s eventual decision may influence how other courts, organizations, and communities approach these questions. With each new step in the legal journey, there’s a growing sense that this isn’t just about one athlete’s right to lift weights; it’s about standing up to exclusionary practices that can keep entire communities of transgender people from thriving in all aspects of life—on and off the platform.
Transgender individuals and allies alike are watching closely, hoping the gavel will deliver a resounding affirmation of their worth, identities, and dreams. The outcome of this case has the potential to move us closer to a world where every athlete—cisgender, transgender, nonbinary—gets the chance to take the stage, show their strength, and shine. In Minnesota, at least, that future might be just around the corner.
