Powerlifting Giant May ABANDON Entire State After Lawsuit

(LibertySociety.com) – USA Powerlifting has settled a years-long discrimination lawsuit that forced the organization to choose between defending fair competition for female athletes and complying with a state court’s interpretation of anti-discrimination law.

Story Snapshot

USA Powerlifting settled with transgender athlete JayCee Cooper after Minnesota Supreme Court ruled categorical exclusion from women’s events violated state Human Rights Act
Settlement includes undisclosed financial payment; organization reviewing whether to continue Minnesota operations under new legal constraints
Case highlights tension between state anti-discrimination laws and sports organizations’ efforts to preserve female competition categories based on biological sex
Former USAPL president maintains organization’s position aligned with global competition standards and bipartisan public sentiment on fairness in women’s sports

Court Ruling Forces Settlement

USA Powerlifting announced Tuesday it has settled a discrimination lawsuit filed by JayCee Cooper, a biological male identifying as transgender who was denied entry to women’s powerlifting competitions in 2018 and 2019. The Minnesota Supreme Court ruled in October 2025 that the organization violated the state’s Human Rights Act by categorically excluding transgender women from female divisions. Settlement terms remain undisclosed, though the agreement includes financial compensation for Cooper. The organization now faces critical decisions about future operations in Minnesota.

Fairness Concerns Versus Legal Mandates

The case originated when Cooper sought to compete in women’s events before USA Powerlifting had established a formal transgender policy. The organization subsequently implemented a blanket ban on biological males in women’s divisions, citing irreversible physiological advantages from male puberty in strength sports. Former USAPL president Larry Maile emphasized the organization’s position reflected global competition standards and widespread public concern about preserving fair competition for female athletes. Minnesota courts, however, prioritized anti-discrimination protections over these competitive fairness arguments.

Legal Journey Through Multiple Courts

Cooper filed the lawsuit in 2021 in Ramsey County, alleging violation of Minnesota’s Human Rights Act. A district court initially sided with Cooper, finding discrimination based on transgender identity. The Court of Appeals reversed, determining the exclusion was based on physiology rather than status and remanded the case for jury trial. The Minnesota Supreme Court ultimately ruled USA Powerlifting discriminated under state law, though it allowed the organization to potentially assert a “legitimate business purpose” defense for maintaining sex-based categories in competition.

Gender Justice, representing Cooper, celebrated the outcome as ensuring transgender individuals can participate in public accommodations without discrimination. USA Powerlifting stated the settlement serves the organization’s best interests while maintaining belief in the merits of its scientific position. The organization has not yet decided whether it will continue hosting events in Minnesota under the new legal constraints imposed by the court’s interpretation of state law.

Broader Implications for Women’s Sports

This settlement establishes troubling precedent for other sports organizations attempting to maintain female competition categories based on biological reality. Female powerlifters now face potential disadvantages competing against biological males with inherent strength advantages in a sport where physiological differences are determinative. The ruling pressures similar organizations operating in progressive states to choose between scientific standards for fair competition and legal compliance with expansive interpretations of anti-discrimination statutes. Many Americans across the political spectrum share concerns about government mandates that prioritize ideology over the legitimate interests of female athletes who have fought for decades to establish their own competitive spaces. The contrast between Minnesota’s legal mandate and international sports standards highlights growing tensions between state-level activism and broadly accepted principles of fair athletic competition rooted in biological sex categories.

Uncertain Future for Organization

USA Powerlifting faces difficult operational decisions in coming weeks as it evaluates compliance options under Minnesota law. The organization continues to emphasize alignment with global competition standards that recognize male and female physiology as foundational to fair athletic competition. The settlement costs and potential loss of Minnesota operations represent tangible consequences for defending science-based policies. This case may catalyze federal legislation addressing transgender participation in sports, as state-level conflicts intensify between anti-discrimination enforcement and preservation of female athletic opportunities established under Title IX protections.