Two New Hampshire families with transgender high school athletes have expanded their lawsuit against a state law barring transgender girls from competing in girls' sports to include the Trump administration, following a related executive order by the former president. The teens, Parker Tirrell and Iris Turmelle, initially filed the suit last year, challenging the New Hampshire law. A federal judge recently approved adding the Trump administration as defendants due to the former president's "No Men in Women's Sports" executive order, signed in February 2024. This order withholds federal funding from educational institutions permitting biological males to participate in women's sports.
While New Hampshire is among 25 states with such laws, Tirrell and Turmelle have been allowed to compete on girls' teams due to a separate federal judge's ruling in their state. A lawyer representing the families expressed concern over the widespread targeting of transgender individuals, particularly young people in schools, emphasizing the cruelty of denying them essential opportunities and support during formative years.
The lawsuit argues that Trump's executive order, along with aspects of a January 2024 order prohibiting the use of federal funds to "promote gender ideology," discriminates against transgender girls, violating their equal protection rights and Title IX protections. The suit also claims the executive orders threaten the schools' federal funding for allowing the transgender athletes to participate.
This case has spawned a second lawsuit after parents wearing "XX" wristbands (symbolizing female chromosomes) were reportedly banned from school property for wearing them at their daughters' soccer game. The parents, Kyle Fellers and Anthony Foote, sued the Bow School District, alleging they were instructed to remove the wristbands or leave the game. They maintain their intention was not to protest Tirrell but to support their daughters playing against a biological male.
