New York, June 2: A female runner is suing the state of Connecticut in the US after she lost several races to transgender athletes. Chelsea Mitchell, a high school senior, claims that she held the title of the fastest girl in Connecticut. However, she argues that competing against transgender athletes created an imbalance and rendered the competition unfair. Mitchell and three other female athletes filed a lawsuit against the Connecticut Association of Schools, the athletic conference and boards of education in Connecticut.

“I competed against two biological males all four years of high school,” Mitchell said. “I lost out on podium medals. I lost two all-New England awards, and then eventually, I lost four state championships to these two males,” reported New York Post, quoting Mitchell as saying. Mitchell revealed that she faced defeat on 20 occasions against her transgender competitors during her high school career. Consequently, she made an anonymous Title IX complaint against the state and its policies. World Athletics Bans Transgender Women From Female Events.

She further said that everyone deserves to participate in sports, but it’s about where it’s most fair. In her experience, it was utterly unfair to put these athletes in the female category because we know there are biological differences between men and women. Tiffany Thomas, Trans Athlete, Wins Female NYC Cycling Event, Says She Feels Like a ‘Superhero’.

The lawsuit filed by Mitchell and others aims to challenge a policy that allows transgender athletes to participate in sports based on their gender identity rather than their biological sex. Currently, the case is being considered in the Second District federal court, where the arguments and merits of the case will be examined and evaluated. However, the lawsuit has been challenged by the ACLU and other advocacy groups. In a statement, Kelly Robinson, the president of the Human Rights Campaign, said every student deserves to be treated with dignity and respect. This includes transgender girls of all ages and in all sports, without exception.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 02, 2023 03:20 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).