On Friday, New York's attorney general issued a cease-and-desist letter to a Long Island lawmaker for issuing a “discriminatory and transphobic” executive order to exclude transgender athletes from sports.
Attorney General Letitia James ordered Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman to “immediately rescind” his order for discriminating based on sex, gender, identity, and expression, which is illegal in New York.
“The law is clear: you cannot discriminate based on gender identity or expression. “New York has no room for hate or bigotry,” James stated Friday. “This executive order is transphobic and illegal. Nassau County must revoke the injunction immediately or we will take swift legal action.”
The executive order prohibits transgender athletes from competing against girls at all 100 Nassau County sports facilities, including ball fields and ice rinks. It may be the first county-wide transgender sports ban in the U.S.
Blakeman was considering banning transgender athletes for months, saying they shouldn't play with girls. Blakeman could not provide any examples of such a prohibition in Nassau County when asked by reporters last week what prompted it. The county high school sports agency executive director couldn't either.
Pat Pizzarelli of the Nassau County Public High School Athletic Association said, “We have not had any issues with transgender athletes participating in section 8 athletics...no complaints, and I'm not sure that there are any.
James told the county executive five days to revoke the order “or else face additional legal action.”
Friday afternoon, Blakeman reiterated his goal of protecting athletes from “bullying” at a press conference. He suggested James or her office meet with county lawyers to review state and federal law.
Follow for more updates