Recent Updates: A promising step towards justice for trans athletes — and more summer updates!

July 22, 2024

From exciting case developments to the privilege of toting an enormous check on the floor of the Target Center arena and celebrating Pride across Minnesota and North Dakota, we have lots of updates to share!

We’re Headed to the Minnesota Supreme Court

Big news: the Minnesota Supreme Court has announced it will hear our case representing JayCee Cooper, a transgender woman denied entry into USA Powerlifting competitions. This is a landmark case with sweeping implications for the rights of transgender athletes under Minnesota law.

“No one should be denied the opportunity to pursue their dreams and ambitions simply because of who they are,” says Jess Braverman, legal director of Gender Justice. “Our laws are supposed to protect all Minnesotans, including transgender Minnesotans, from discrimination. It is clear that Ms. Cooper faced discrimination specifically because she is a transgender athlete, and we are confident the court will agree.”

Read the news coverage on WCCO, KSTP, and MPR, and check out the full update on our website!

Minnesota Lynx Honor Gender Justice

On Sunday, July 14, the Minnesota Lynx honored Gender Justice at an on-court recognition ceremony celebrating their 2024 WNBA Commissioner’s Cup victory.

Gender Justice Board Chair Ann Tobin, Executive Director Megan Peterson, and Legal Director Jess Braverman took to the Target Center arena to accept a check as wide as the three of them! It was a thrill to participate, and a golden opportunity to introduce so many WNBA fans to our work — thanks again to our hometown champs for their commitment to gender equity, and good luck to Coach Cheryl Reeve and all the players headed to the 2024 Summer Olympics! Thank you, Minnesota Lynx!

Amicus Brief: Breasts Are Not Inherently “Lewd”

Recently, we were proud to submit an amicus brief in support of Eloisa Plancarte, a Rochester woman prosecuted on an indecent exposure charge for public toplessness. After the Minnesota Court of Appeals upheld her conviction, her lawyers appealed the ruling to the Minnesota Supreme Court.

Under Minnesota law, an indecent exposure charge applies when someone “willfully and lewdly exposes” their body in public. The Court of Appeals indicated it is inherently lewd for a woman to be topless in public. In our amicus brief, we make several points, among them that the ruling:

• perpetuates the harmful stereotype that female breasts are, above all else, sexual objects and inherently lewd
• stigmatizes and discourages public breastfeeding
• harms transgender and nonbinary Minnesotans (who are already disproportionately policed), leaving them vulnerable to arbitrary and discriminatory prosecution under the indecent exposure statute

We’ll keep an eye on this case — and of course, an inclusive state Equal Rights Amendment would help us prevent future rulings finding that laws criminalize some people more harshly than others based on sex.

2024 Twin Cities Pride Festival 🏳️‍🌈

We loved the chance to chat with supporters and make hundreds of new friends at the Twin Cities Pride Festival on the last weekend of June!

Pride celebrations will continue throughout the summer! Drop by to see us at Fargo-Moorhead Pride — pick up a sticker, write a message of support to LGBTQIA youth, or just say hi!

August 8-11: Fargo-Moorhead Pride | Fargo, ND

We’ll continue to share additional celebrations in our next newsletters!