West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey expressed deep concern over the Fourth Circuit Court’s decision to block a state law prohibiting transgender student-athletes from participating on teams consistent with their gender identity.
Speaking on Newsmax’s “Wake Up America,” Morrisey, a Republican gubernatorial candidate, criticized the ruling as fundamentally flawed.
In Morrisey’s view, the court’s ruling contradicts established principles of sports segregation, citing Title IX’s efforts to ensure equal opportunities for women. The case stemmed from a 2021 West Virginia law that sought to maintain separation in sports based on athletes’ birth sex rather than their gender identity.
Morrisey emphasized that the state law aligns with Title IX and serves to protect female athletes by providing them with fair opportunities. He expressed confidence in the state’s position as the legal battle continues, noting their success at the district court level.
The attorney general argued that allowing transgender females to compete in women’s sports could result in unfair advantages, potentially depriving biological females of their chance to excel.
He underscored the importance of maintaining distinctions based on birth sex to preserve fairness in sports and prevent further implications beyond athletic competitions.
Morrisey called on organizations like the NCAA to uphold the principles of fairness by basing sports participation on birth sex. He emphasized the broader societal concern for fairness and urged an end to practices that undermine it.