Biden shows support for trans athletes by withdrawing support for Trump-backed lawsuit

Joe Biden has withdrawn support for a controversial lawsuit seeking to ban transgender athletes from competing in high school girls’ sports.

The lawsuit, backed by the Trump administration, was filed in Connecticut last year amid growing toxic rhetoric around the subject of trans athletes.

Last March, Trump’s then-Attorney General William Barr signed a ‘statement of interest’ in the case.

He argued that, by letting athletes compete according to their gender identity, the state was breaking a law that allows girls equal educational opportunities.

On Tuesday, Connecticut’s US Attorney John Durham withdrew Barr’s statement, saying, “The government has reconsidered the matter.”

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The state’s Attorney General William Tong said: “Transgender girls are girls and every woman and girl deserves protection against discrimination. Period.”

During his time in office, Trump was heavily criticised for undoing advancements made by and for the US transgender community.

In contrast, Biden has passed executive orders affirming his support for trans people, including a reversal of Trump’s ban on trans people serving in the military.

“Children should be able to learn without worrying about whether they will be denied access to the restroom, the locker room, or school sports,” he said.

He also nominated Dr Rachel Levine to be assistant secretary of health, who, if approved, will be the first openly transgender Senate-confirmed federal official in US history.

Lawyers for the plaintiff declined to comment on the federal government’s change.

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