Just hours after Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman signed a law banning transgender girls and women from playing sports at county-run facilities, the county was sued by New York Attorney Letitia James and the New York Civil Liberties Union, making it the second round of litigation against Nassau this year.
Local Law 121-24, entitled ““Fairness for Women and Girls in Sports,” resembles an executive order of a ban that was signed by Blakeman in February, which led to the initial lawsuit brought on by the NYCLU and the Long Island Roller Rebels in March. During this time, Blakeman filed a preemptive lawsuit to block potential litigation from James’ office, which had motioned to take legal action against his order. However, this suit was thrown out by a federal judge in April.
After the state Supreme Court overturned Blakeman’s policy on the grounds that it exceeded his legal authority, the Nassau County Legislature passed a bill upholding the ban in June. On Monday, Blakeman signed the bill, officially making it a county law.
The NYCLU’s/The Long Island Roller Rebel’s and Attorney General James’ lawsuits, also filed on Monday, allege the ban violates state human and civil rights laws prohibiting discrimination in public accommodations based on gender identity, and seek to block the law.
“With this law, Nassau County is once again attempting to exclude transgender girls and women from participating in sporting events while claiming to support fairness,” said Attorney General James in a statement. “NYCLU and the Long Island Roller Rebels won their first lawsuit and County Executive Blakeman’s transphobic executive order was struck down because it was blatantly illegal. Now this discriminatory law must be as well. Here in New York, every person has the right to be exactly who they are free from discrimination, and my office will always protect that right.”
Despite the ban getting shut down in the past and its widespread opposition, Blakeman has remained determined to pass it. In a statement on Monday, Blakeman said he was “very disappointed” with the suits brought against Nassau County.
“Blakeman’s anti-trans executive order was a blatant violation of our state’s civil and human rights laws, and so is the legislature’s copycat local law. As attacks against LGBTQ+ people have increased, we are grateful that the Attorney General is working alongside the NYCLU to fight this discriminatory law, which has no place in New York,” said Donna Lieberman, executive director of the NYCLU, in a statement.
