“A federal judge on Thursday upheld a West Virginia law prohibiting biological boys from playing on girls’ teams in a decision that one legal group called a ‘win for reality.’ In a 23-page decision, Judge Joseph R. Goodwin wrote that transgender-identifying students deserve respect but that the state of West Virginia had a legitimate government interest in adopting the law, which defines ‘female’ according to an individual’s biological sex. The law prohibits biological males from participating in female sports. An 11-year-old student who was born male but identifies as female had sued the state seeking to overturn the law. ‘While some females may be able to outperform some males, it is generally accepted that, on average, males outperform females athletically because of inherent physical differences between the sexes,’ Goodwin wrote. ‘This is not an overbroad generalization, but rather a general principle that realistically reflects the average physical differences between the sexes. The legislature’s definition of girl as being based on biological sex is substantially related to the important government interest of providing equal athletic opportunities for females.’ Goodwin referenced events in Connecticut, where two biological boys who identify as girls won multiple state track titles in the female division. ‘The question before the court is whether the legislature’s chosen definition of girl and woman in this context is constitutionally permissible,’ he wrote. ‘I find that it is.’”
“Judge Upholds,” Christian Headlines, Jan. 6, 2023
