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Nassau County, New York bans transgender girls and women from competing at county facilities on teams that match their gender identity


NEWS 12 LONG ISLAND, STATION FILE, CNN

By Nic F. Anderson, CNN

(CNN) — The Nassau County Legislature has voted to ban transgender girls and women from competing at county facilities on teams and leagues that align with their gender identity.

The local law passed Monday eveningĀ 12 to 5. It is one of many laws in the United States thatĀ restrict transgender athletes from participatingĀ in sports. The party breakdown of the vote was not immediately available, but Republicans hold a majority of the seats.

ā€œI am gratified that the Republican Majority in the legislature voted in favor of this common sense measure to protect the integrity of womenā€™s sports and the safety of women participants,ā€ Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, a Republican,Ā told CNN via email.

Nassau County,Ā accordingĀ to its website, is the wealthiest county in New York. Itā€™s located on Long Island andĀ wentĀ for Biden by 54.2% in the 2020 presidential election.

New York is among 25 statesĀ without statewide laws banning transgender students from competing on sports teams that align with their gender identities,Ā according to dataĀ from Movement Advancement Project,Ā a nonprofit think tank. OtherĀ statesĀ have laws or regulations banning such participation, the projectā€™s data shows.

When the billĀ passed, several people in the crowd erupted and chantedĀ ā€œshame, shame, shame.ā€

This is not the first effort to ban transgender girls and women from Nassau County sports facilities.Ā On February 22, BlakemanĀ issued anĀ executive orderĀ that he said was designedĀ to createĀ ā€œfairness for women and girls in sportsā€ and would ban transgender girls and women from playing at county facilitiesĀ thatĀ align with their gender identity. A New York Supreme Court judge struck it down in May, ruling that Blakeman did not have the legislative authority to issue such an order.

Doctors, psychologists and community members called the bill that passed Monday harmful and illegal, citing the increased suicideĀ rates amongĀ transgender teens as compared with cisgender teens.

A 16-year-old,Ā whoĀ said she is an LGBTQ+ ally askedĀ the legislators to reconsiderĀ the bill because ā€œthis hurts people. If people die, itā€™s on you. People killing themselves, suicide;Ā itā€™s on you. Remember that.ā€

Suicide is the second leading cause of death among people 10 toĀ 14 years old and 20 to 34,Ā according to theĀ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The Trevor Project estimates that more thanĀ 1.8 millionĀ LGBTQ+ young people ages 13-24 seriously consider suicide each year in the U.S. ā€” and at least one person attempts suicideĀ every 45 seconds.

Those in favor of the local law denyĀ the bill is hateful.

ā€œWe donā€™t hate anyone. ā€¦ I understand your disagreement with this bill, I do,ā€ Nassau County LegislatorĀ John GiuffrĆØ, a RepublicanĀ who voted in favor ofĀ the law, said during the meeting.

In March, the New York Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit on behalf of the Long Island Roller Rebels, a womenā€™s flat track roller derby league from Nassau County, arguing the now-defunctĀ executive order violatedĀ New Yorkā€™s human rights law and civil rights law,Ā accordingĀ to a news release from the NYCLU. CNN has reached out for an update in that case.

The group alsoĀ respondedĀ on X afterĀ Mondayā€™s approval of the measureĀ calling it, ā€œa hateful and blatantly illegal bill. If signed into law, weā€™ll see Nassau in court ā€“ again.ā€

Republican County LegislatorĀ GiuffrĆØ says he believes the law will stand up to scrutiny.

ā€œI believe thatĀ the court challenges will be defeated and I believe that the constitution ā€¦Ā  will prevail,ā€ GiuffrĆØ said.

In March, New York Attorney General Letitia James demandedĀ that NassauĀ CountyĀ Executive Bruce Blakeman rescind his executive orderĀ and called it ā€œdiscriminatoryĀ and transphobic executive orderā€Ā in a March press release.

CNN reached out to Jamesā€™ office Monday evening for comment.

ā€œWhat weā€™re doing is protecting women,ā€ RepublicanĀ LegislatorĀ John R. Ferretti Jr. said. ā€œTheir safety and integrity of their sporting events.ā€

The law will go into effect as soon as Blakeman signs it, according to his office.

CNNā€™s Ashley R. Williams, Michelle Watson, Eric Levenson, and Maria Sole Campinoti contributed to this report.

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