Nassau County bans transgender athletes

Nassau County bans transgender athletes

Executive Decision Draws Criticism

Bruce Blakeman, the Nassau County Executive, issued an executive order on Thursday. This order bars transgender athletes from participating in certain sports at county facilities. This move has sparked criticism from LGBTQ+ rights advocates. The order specifically targets transgender females, banning “biological males” from competing in county-managed women’s or girls’ sports. Critics argue that this directive discriminates unlawfully.

In a Mineola press briefing, Blakeman said, “As county executive, my top priority is to ensure a respectful environment for everyone. Yet, we have seen attempts by biological males to enter women’s sports, which we view as harassment. We stand firm that teams for women and girls should only include women and girls.” He added that transgender women could join men’s and mixed-gender sports teams.

Advocacy Groups and Officials React

LGBT+ organizations have quickly criticized Blakeman’s policy, calling it illegal and a violation of the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act. David Kilmnick, of the LGBT Network in Garden City, slammed the policy. He said, “This action attacks inclusivity and fairness and promotes harmful myths and exclusion. Blakeman’s alignment with groups like the Loud Majority, a known threat to civil liberties, is alarming. Their support for this executive order is a red flag.”

Gina Silitti, a New York State Assemblywoman from Manorhaven, also opposed Blakeman’s order. She said, “Blakeman’s order seeks media attention rather than protection. It could foster hostility against transgender youths. The power of words is immense. Hateful speech often leads to violence, like the recent murder of a non-binary youth in Oklahoma. Our region has faced attacks on the LGBTQ+ community. However, we have stood together against such bias. Hate crimes, including those in my district targeting children, have drawn condemnation from all political sides.”