High school runners sue to block transgender students from competing in Connecticut

The families of three high school cross-country runners are attempting to stop transgender athletes from participating in girls' sports in Connecticut by filing a federal lawsuit one day before the start of the state's indoor track championships.

Students Selina Soule, Chelsea Mitchell, and Alanna Smith say that allowing students with male anatomy to participate in sports against female-born athletes hinders their competitive opportunities. The lawsuit was filed against the Connecticut Association of Schools and the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference, which require that students be treated according to the gender with which they identify, in keeping with the state's anti-discrimination law and with local boards of education for Bloomfield, Cromwell, Glastonbury, Canton, and Danbury.

"Mentally and physically, we know the outcome before the race even starts," Smith told the Associated Press on Wednesday. "That biological unfairness doesn’t go away because of what someone believes about gender identity. All girls deserve the chance to compete on a level playing field." Smith is the daughter of former Major League pitcher Lee Smith.

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