The Minnesota Supreme Court’s recent ruling that USA Powerlifting discriminated against a transgender athlete has sparked fierce debate over fairness in women’s sports, with the organization pushing back against the decision and vowing to present its evidence before a jury.
The unanimous decision found that USA Powerlifting’s policy categorically excluding transgender women from competing in the women’s division constituted discrimination under Minnesota’s Human Rights Act. However, the powerlifting organization maintains it has legitimate grounds for its stance and welcomes the opportunity to defend its position in court.
“Our goal since litigation commenced against USA Powerlifting in 2021 was to present all the facts and evidence of our actions to a jury,” the organization said in a statement. “We are pleased that both of Minnesota’s state appellate courts agree we have a right to present a claim of business discrimination to a jury and look forward to offering our evidence toward that end.”
The case centers on JayCee Cooper, who sued USA Powerlifting in 2021 after the organization rejected an application to compete in the women’s division in 2018. The legal battle has wound through multiple courts, with a lower court initially siding with Cooper in 2023 before the Minnesota Court of Appeals sent the case back to determine whether genuine factual disputes existed regarding the organization’s motivations and business justifications.
Chief Justice Natalie Hudson wrote in Wednesday’s opinion that the policy provided direct evidence of discriminatory intent. “We agree with Cooper that USA Powerlifting’s policy is discriminatory on its face; there is therefore no genuine dispute that USA Powerlifting discriminated against Cooper because of her transgender status,” Hudson stated.
Despite this finding, the court’s ruling allows USA Powerlifting to argue it had a legitimate business purpose for its exclusionary policy—a point the organization intends to pursue vigorously.
USA Powerlifting defended its position by citing scientific research on physiological differences between male and female athletes. “USAPL acted for legitimate, non-discriminatory reasons to promote fairness in the sport when determining that Ms. Cooper should not compete in the women’s division due to her male physiology,” the organization stated.
The group pointed to studies indicating significant athletic advantages. “Ms. Cooper was born biologically male and went through puberty as a male. According to unrebutted scientific research, males have up to a 64% strength advantage in powerlifting and suppressing testosterone only reduces the advantage by about 10%. This difference in outcomes makes it fundamentally unfair for a male-to-female transgender powerlifter to compete in the women’s division.”
The organization also emphasized growing momentum for protecting women’s sports categories, citing recent polling data and policy changes by major sporting bodies. “A 2025 New York Times/Ipsos poll found 79% of Americans oppose allowing transgender athletes to compete in women’s sports,” USA Powerlifting noted. It added that the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee has updated its athlete safety policy to allow only females in women’s sports.
The political dimensions of the case have not gone unnoticed. All seven Minnesota Supreme Court justices who issued the unanimous ruling were appointed by Democratic governors—five by Gov. Tim Walz and two by former Gov. Mark Dayton.
Minnesota Republican House Speaker Lisa Demuth sharply criticized the decision, framing it as an erosion of protections for female athletes. “For decades, women and girls fought tirelessly for the rights guaranteed under Title IX. Sadly, those hard-won protections have increasingly come under attack, and today’s decision marks another setback in the fight to protect girls’ sports,” Demuth said.
“This issue is ultimately about safety and fairness, and Minnesotans overwhelmingly agree that their daughters and granddaughters should not be forced to compete against boys. House Republicans are ready to act in the first weeks of next year’s legislative session to make clear that girls’ sports are for girls.”
The case now returns to a lower court, where USA Powerlifting will have the opportunity to present its evidence that excluding transgender women from the women’s division serves a legitimate business purpose. The outcome could have significant implications for how sports organizations nationwide navigate the intersection of inclusion and competitive fairness.
