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Transgender Weightlifter Wins Landmark Ruling Against USA Powerlifting

10/27/2025

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Cooper Wins Ruling

The Minnesota Supreme Court ruled in favor of JayCee Cooper, a transgender weightlifter, finding USA Powerlifting unlawfully barred her from a 2018 competition.
Gender Justice, an LGBTQ+ rights group, hailed the ruling as a victory.
Cooper criticized her detractors on social media, saying their complaints trivialize real exclusion.
USA Powerlifting's attorney called the decision mixed, noting disputes over excluding transgender athletes for fairness, with the ruling underscoring tensions in sports.

Right

Newsom Advocates Protections

California Governor Gavin Newsom and former Vice President Kamala Harris call for protections for women in sports amid controversies.
World Athletics and UK Athletics Federation have tightened transgender eligibility rules.
Elizabeth Eddy of Angel City FC urges the National Women's Soccer League to set clear gender eligibility standards after uncertainty led to harassment of Barbra Banda.
The debate emphasizes fairness and inclusion in sports amid broader tensions over transgender participation.

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Cooper Wins Ruling

The Minnesota Supreme Court ruled in favor of JayCee Cooper, a transgender weightlifter, finding USA Powerlifting unlawfully barred her from a 2018 competition.
Gender Justice, an LGBTQ+ rights group, hailed the ruling as a victory.
Cooper criticized her detractors on social media, saying their complaints trivialize real exclusion.
USA Powerlifting's attorney called the decision mixed, noting disputes over excluding transgender athletes for fairness, with the ruling underscoring tensions in sports.

1 / 2