Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares filed an amicus brief on behalf of the Hanover County School Board, supporting their decision to bar a middle school transgender girl from playing on the girls’ tennis team. Miyares stated that civil rights laws are meant to protect female equity in athletics and urged the court to ensure that women’s rights and opportunities are protected in Virginia.
This is not the first time Miyares has addressed transgender issues in schools, as he also filed a brief in support of parents in Wisconsin opposing schools socially transitioning their children without parental involvement. Last summer, the Virginia Department of Education released new model policies for transgender student treatment, which sparked controversy across the state. The updated policies under Governor Youngkin’s administration encourage sex-based segregation in bathrooms, locker rooms, and sports teams, leading to differing responses from school districts.
Miyares has been an advocate for women’s sports to be reserved for females, supporting the Roanoke College swim team when a transgender woman briefly joined their team and attending protests against transgender athletes competing in women’s events. In the ongoing case, the ACLU argues that the Hanover County School Board’s policy violates federal laws, including the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment and Title IX.
The debate over transgender student rights in schools continues to be a contentious issue, with conflicting views on how to handle gender identity in educational settings. Miyares’ actions reflect a stance in support of traditional views on sex segregation in sports and a belief that parents should have a say in major decisions affecting their children’s well-being.
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