Full Breakdown
USA Powerlifting Settles Discrimination Lawsuit with Transgender Athlete JayCee Cooper
4/30/2026, 1:55:39 AM
Settlement Ends Six-Year Legal Dispute
USA Powerlifting and transgender powerlifter JayCee Cooper have reached a confidential settlement that concludes a lawsuit spanning more than six years. The agreement follows the Minnesota Supreme Court’s October 2025 decision that the organization violated the state’s Human Rights Act by barring Cooper from women’s competitions. While the settlement includes a financial component, both parties are prohibited from revealing payment details.
Legal Background: Minnesota Human Rights Act and Court Rulings
Cooper, a Minnesota-based athlete, was denied entry to women’s powerlifting events in 2018 and again in 2019. She sued USA Powerlifting, alleging discrimination under Minnesota’s Human Rights Act. The Supreme Court ruled unanimously that the organization’s blanket exclusion of transgender women constituted unlawful discrimination in public accommodations. The court also remanded a separate business-purpose claim to a lower court, allowing USA Powerlifting to argue that its policy might be justified as a “legitimate business purpose.”
Principal Actors
- JayCee Cooper – Transgender woman and powerlifter who initiated the lawsuit.
- USA Powerlifting (USAPL) – National governing body for the sport, which enforced a policy excluding transgender women.
- Gender Justice – Midwest legal nonprofit that represented Cooper; Jess Braverman serves as its Legal Director.
- Larry Maile – Former USAPL president and national women’s powerlifting coach, who defended the organization’s stance.
Chronology of the Case
- 2018 – Cooper denied entry to a women’s competition.
- 2019 – Second denial and subsequent implementation of a blanket ban on trans women.
- 2021 – Cooper files suit in Ramsey County.
- October 2025 – Minnesota Supreme Court rules the ban discriminatory.
- April 28 – Gender Justice confirms the settlement with USAPL (exact year not disclosed).
Statistical Claim and Scientific Argument
USAPL cited research indicating a “64 % strength advantage for male-born athletes” and asserted that “men are generally stronger than women.” The organization presented these findings as the scientific basis for maintaining sex-based competition categories.
Implications for Sports Inclusion and Policy
The settlement underscores how state anti-discrimination statutes can affect athletic governance. Legal experts note that Minnesota’s ruling may influence similar challenges in other jurisdictions that have comparable human-rights protections. The case also intersects with federal anti-discrimination frameworks, including Title IX, which courts have recently interpreted as supportive of transgender inclusion.
Official Statements
Gender Justice’s Jess Braverman said the outcome “reinforces the right of trans people in Minnesota to participate in sport and other public life without discrimination.” USAPL issued a statement that it “has made no decision yet on next steps in its Minnesota operations to comply with the recent ruling, but organization leadership will review the matter in the coming weeks.” Both sides agreed to keep settlement specifics confidential.
Criticism and Opposition
Larry Maile characterized the ruling as “a step backward for women, fair competition and common sense,” maintaining that USAPL’s policy is grounded in “global competition standards and bipartisan public sentiment.” He emphasized that the organization “continues to believe strongly in the merits of our case.”
Conflicting Reports and Gaps
Public reports confirm a financial remedy but do not disclose amounts. The Supreme Court’s decision left open the question of whether USAPL can successfully argue a legitimate business purpose, a matter that will be examined in lower-court proceedings.
Verbatim Quotes
- “We celebrate this victory, but we also remain vigilant and ready to take action to ensure that all Minnesotans, including transgender Minnesotans, can participate in sports, schools, employment, and health care without facing discrimination because of who they are.” — Jess Braverman, Legal Director, Gender Justice
- “What the plaintiffs cast as a victory for transgender rights is a ruling that has forced Minnesota to take a step backward for women, fair competition and common sense.” — Larry Maile, former USAPL president
- “Our policy is based on the indisputable fact that men are generally stronger than women.” — USA Powerlifting (press release)
- “The fact remains that Minnesota is increasingly out of step with unrefuted science showing a 64% strength advantage for male-born athletes,” — Larry Maile
- “We continue to believe strongly in the merits of our case, which are supported by global competition standards and bipartisan public sentiment.” — Larry Maile
Future Developments
USAPL will review its options for continued operation in Minnesota in the weeks ahead, while its activities in other states remain unaffected. The pending business-purpose claim may generate further litigation, potentially shaping how sports organizations nationwide address transgender participation.
