Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman’s motions to sue the New York Attorney General who challenged his ban on transgender women in sports facilities has been blocked, signaling future obstacles for his widely criticized executive order.
On Friday, in Mineola, New York, a federal judge tossed out the lawsuit brought by Blakeman against Attorney General Letitia James, who demanded Blakeman rescind his ban that prevents transgender women from playing on girls’ and women’s teams in county-owned athletic facilities.
Though the ban still remains in effect, the attorney general’s lawsuit can now move forward.
In February of this year, Blakeman signed an executive order banning transgender athletes from competing in girls’ and women’s sports in Nassau County.
On March 1, state attorney general James issued a cease-and-desist letter reading the executive order violated the state’s anti-discrimination laws. Blakeman then responded a few days later by filing a federal lawsuit against James.
Under Blakeman’s order, sports leagues now must submit documentation of their players’ biological sex at birth, and if sports teams, captains, coaches, etc., don’t comply, they are to be criminalized under the order.
The ban was met with both support and anger from local residents and trans rights advocates.
Blakeman has said the order was brought on by concerns from parents for the safety of their daughters and is “a fairness issue.”
In addition to James taking action against the ban, a Long Island roller derby league has also filed a lawsuit asserting the ban violates anti-discrimination laws.
“This decision is a tremendous victory for justice and the rule of law, but our work here is not done. County Executive Blakeman’s executive order is transphobic, and we have no room for hate in New York. It’s past time for Nassau County to rescind this order and treat all our communities with the basic respect and dignity they deserve,” James said in a statement on Friday.
Blakeman has since vowed to appeal the judge’s verdict. “We vehemently disagree with the decision,” he said in a statement.
The New York Attorney General’s office declined to say when or if it will sue to block the ban, saying it will review the decision, which has been handed down in federal court in Central Islip.
