Long Island county sues NY AG Letitia James over law forcing schools to let boys play girls' sports

On Wednesday, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman announced that he had filed a federal lawsuit against New York Attorney General Letitia James after she blocked his ban on trans-identifying biological male athletes in women's sports and deemed it "blatantly illegal."

The Long Island politician argued that James' actions were unconstitutional, and demanded that he be allowed to enforce the policy he signed into law via an executive order last month.

"What the attorney general is asking us to do is a violation of federal constitutional law and federal statutory law," Blakeman said, per ABC7. "So our response was to file a lawsuit."

He went on to suggest that by sending him a cease and desist letter, James was denying "biological females' right to equal opportunity in athletics" and "right to a safe playing field" 
 

At a press conference announcing the filing of the lawsuit Blakeman was flanked by a 16-year-old female volleyball player and her parents, who are his co-plaintiffs.

"The reason we set forth this policy," he said, "was because of the unpaid unfair competitive advantage that males have; they are bigger faster and stronger ... We're taking action now because [biological males playing in women's sports is] happening around the country and we don't want it to happen here."

In his executive order, Blakeman made it very clear that the policy would only apply to biological males hoping to take part in organized sporting events at the over 100 arenas, courts, and fields in the county. 

It would not impact males who simply want to kick the ball around with some female friends, nor those of either sex who wish to play on male or co-ed teams.

Nonetheless, James deemed Blakeman's order to violate the law.

"The law is perfectly clear," she said. "You cannot discriminate against a person because of their gender identity or expression. We have no room for hate or bigotry in New York."