Local LGBTQ Advocate Speaks Out Against Transgender Sports Ban

Last Wednesday, June 15th, the Mat-Su School District approved an activities policy that would prohibit transgender girls from competing in girls sports. Lillian Lennon, a trans female and long-term queer and LGBTQ activist and artist from Talkeetna, expresses her frustration with the change.

“Policies like these only serve to enforce discrimination or at the very least encourage discrimination against already marginalized communities.”

She calls it a solution in search of a problem.

“So it’s important that as a community, we’re standing up for one another and realizing that young trans people aren’t the enemy hoping to take away opportunities from other women and girls.”

A majority of those who testified on June 14 came out in support of young trans people, but the school district still voted 6-1 to approve it. It’s unclear how exactly the policy would be implemented, besides requiring students to show their birth certificate in order to be on a girls sports team. 

Lennon says that she does know people who would be affected by this decision. However, the policy goes beyond affecting trans girls and others who were classified male at birth, but don’t conform to that gender identity. 

“Regardless or not, if there are young trans girls wanting to participate in sports, this affects the young trans person, and the young trans person who grows into a trans adult.”

The ACLU of Alaska wrote a letter to the School Board a day before the policy was approved. The letter states that attempting to ban transgender girls from playing on girls’ teams is illegal under federal law Title IX. Title IX bans sex-based discrimination in any school activity at a school that receives federal funding. 

The letter states: “Courts across the country have unanimously blocked governmental actions seeking to ban transgender student athletes from playing sports that align with their gender identity.“

Their letter indicates that they may file a lawsuit under grounds that the policy violates the Equal Protection Clause of both the U.S. and Alaska Constitution. Lennon thinks it’s very possible that the legislation will be taken down. She says, however, the damage has already been done. 

“Having once been a trans youth, knowing that if the proper authority does not recognize your human rights as a young trans person, neither will the students. And that’s a very hard place to be in. Very challenging—to not be supported by the proper authority.” 

Lennon says that this policy has larger consequences, as it may act as a blueprint for implementation around the state. 

“Seeing this passed here in the Matsu Borough will definitely send a message across the state. If not to the state legislature, certainly to other communities across the state.”

The ACLU didn’t respond to calls from KTNA. The chief communication officer at the Mat-Su Borough School District, Jillian Morrissey, told KTNA that the Administration will work on the Administrative Regulation that coincides with the policy over the summer. They said they will have more information next month. 

For KTNA, I’m Nell Salzman.