Coalition of 207 women lawmakers file amicus brief in support of protecting female athletes for SCOTUS review
More than 200 women lawmakers have signed an amicus brief backing the legal defense to "save women's sports" ahead of next week's Supreme Court oral arguments for two cases related to the issue.
The brief features the signatures of exactly 207 lawmakers, with Idaho state representative Barbara Ehardt being the lead amica.
Other prominent names on the list include Maine state Rep. Laurel Libby, who became a central figure in the national debate over women's sports when she was censored for calling out a trans athlete last February, Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth, Iowa state Senate President Amy Sinclair, Missouri state Senator Cindy O’Laughlin, Alaska state Sen. Shelly Hughes, Kansas state Rep. Kristy Williams and North Dakota state Sen. Janne Myrdal.
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All of the signees are Republicans, as almost all Democrat lawmakers across the nation have remained firmly in support of allowing biological males to compete in girls' and women's sports.
The brief argues, "since the existence of separate women’s sports programs is justified by biological differences between women and men, there are exceedingly persuasive reasons to determine eligibility for such programs using biological criteria rather than a person’s sense of gender."
Supreme Court justices will hear arguments Tuesday in a pair of cases from West Virginia and Idaho, where trans athlete plaintiffs previously successfully challenged those states' laws to keep males out of women's and girls' sports.
Several amicus briefs have already been filed, some in support of the defendants looking to "save women's sports," and others in support of trans inclusion.
Super Bowl-winning head coach Barry Switzer and 31 Olympians have signed an amicus brief in support of the legal defense to "save women's sports" ahead of two upcoming Supreme Court cases over trans athletes. The signees also include 12 Olympic medalists, including eight gold medalists.
Meanwhile, 130 Democrat members of Congress have signed an amicus brief urging the justices to rule in favor of two trans athletes.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffires, D-N.Y.; Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y.; Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass.; Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.; Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas.; Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn.; Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis.; Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif.; Rep. Pete Aguilar, D-Calif.; Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore.; Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash.; Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, Sen. Edward Markey, D-Mass., and Sen. Jeff Merkely, D-Ore., are among the lawmakers on that list.
Two West Virginia female students and their families came forward with the allegations against one of the trans plaintiffs ahead of oral arguments for the case next week. The trans athlete is represented by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). Fox News Digital is not disclosing the name of the trans athlete because the individual is a minor.
Bridgeport High School female student Adaleia Cross, who is a former track and field teammate of the trans athlete when the two were at Bridgeport Middle School, alleges the trans athlete made comments to her that constituted sexual harassment in the girls' locker room. Cross, who is one year older than the trans athlete, said she quit the track and field team at Bridgeport High School last year as a sophomore to avoid sharing a locker room again with the trans athlete once that athlete reached high school.
Cross' mother, Abby, told Fox News Digital what the trans athlete allegedly said to her daughter when they shared the girls' locker room during the 2022-23 school year. Adaleia was in eighth grade, and the trans athlete was in seventh.
Abby Cross alleges the trans athlete made extremely graphic and vulgar sexual threats to her daughter and other girls on the team.
The ACLU has responded to the Cross family's allegations.
"Our client and her mother deny these allegations and the school district investigated the allegations reported to the school by A.C. and found them to be unsubstantiated. We remain committed to defending the rights of all students under Title IX, including the right to a safe and inclusive learning environment free from harassment and discrimination," read an ACLU statement provided to Fox News Digital.
The Cross family's attorneys at Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) have responded to the ACLU's statement.
"Our client has sworn under oath and under penalty of perjury in numerous cases about the events that took place between her and the male athlete. As a result of the situation, [Cross] had to step away from the sport she loved entirely and sacrifice a key element of her school experience to protect herself," read an ADF statement provided to Fox News Digital.
ADF is also representing the state of West Virginia against the trans athlete in the case that is set to be reviewed by the Supreme Court.
Meanwhile, former Lincoln Middle School girls' track and field runner Emmy Salerno alleges the trans athlete used "intimidation tactics" against her after Salerno refused to compete against the trans athlete during an event in the 2024 spring season.
"After we stepped out, it was an immediate personality change. He didn't want to talk to me. He just wanted to stare at me, and just stare down," Salerno told Fox News Digital.
Salerno said there was an incident where the trans athlete followed her while they were at a local basketball game, making intimidating stares, and Salerno was concerned the trans athlete would try to "fight" her.
"At the basketball game when he just followed me everywhere, I kind of felt like, ‘Is he going to try to fight me?’" Salerno said. "'Is he going to try and sneak up behind me and punch me?'"
The ACLU has not responded to Fox News Digital's request for a response to Salerno's allegations.
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