New York Attorney General Letitia James and the New York Civil Liberties Union sued Nassau County on Monday, just hours after the county executive signed a law banning transgender girls and women from playing sports at county-run facilities.
The separate lawsuits seek to block the ban, which county legislators passed last month and which went into effect once Republican County Executive Bruce Blakeman signed it into law.
James, who is a Democrat, and the NYCLU allege that it violates state human and civil rights laws prohibiting discrimination in public accommodations based on gender identity.
“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,” James said in an emailed statement. NYCLU staff attorney Gabriella Larios said it was “abundantly clear” that the county’s ban was illegal under state law.
“It was true when we successfully struck down County Executive Blakeman’s transphobic policy and it is true now,” she said, referring to a state Supreme Court ruling in May that blocked a similar executive order instituted by Blakeman, which the NYCLU had sued over.
In a statement on Monday, Blakeman said he was “very disappointed that the Attorney General would attempt to frustrate Nassau County’s desire to protect the integrity of women’s sports, ensure the safety of its participants and provide a safe environment for girls and women to compete.” He has previously said he would vigorously defend the ban, citing support from county residents and concerns about fairness in sports.
Legislators in the conservative-leaning Long Island county have sparred with civil rights advocates and top Democrats over such a ban for months.
Blakeman issued his executive order in February, leading to the original NYCLU lawsuit in March. Around the same time, Blakeman filed a preemptive suit aiming to stave off potential litigation from James’ office,…
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