(FOX 9) – The Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) says that transgender student-athletes’ eligibility to participate in sports is determined by state law, not President Donald Trump’s recent Executive Order banning transgender athletes from women’s or girl’s sports. 

Transgender student-athletes protected by MN state law

What they’re saying:

MSHSL says that the eligibility of transgender student-athletes is “determined by state law, through the Minnesota Human Rights Act and the Minnesota Constitution.” 

The organization will continue to abide by the anti-discrimination laws in the state, which doesn’t allow discrimination based on gender identity. 

Because of these state laws, students in Minnesota can participate in sports consistent with their gender identity, despite Trump’s new Executive Order. 

MSHSL says it will “continue to review the existing state laws alongside the new Presidential Executive Order and its timeline, processes for states, and requirements that are included.” 

Here is the full statement MSHSL provided to its schools: 

“In Minnesota, participation and eligibility of transgender student-athletes is determined by state law, through the Minnesota Human Rights Act and the Minnesota Constitution. The Minnesota State High School League, similar to other youth sports organizations, is subject to state anti-discrimination laws, which prohibit discrimination based on gender identity. Therefore, students in Minnesota are allowed to participate consistent with their gender identity. League Member Schools have done excellent work in respecting students and their individual situations as they determine their participation and eligibility within interscholastic sports.

 “The League will continue to review the existing state laws alongside the new Presidential Executive Order and its timeline, processes for states, and requirements that are included.” 

Minnesota law introduced to keep transgender athletes out of sports

The other side:

Minnesota Republicans want to do a similar version to Trump’s order, with both the Minnesota House and Senate introducing separate bills that state that only students of “the female sex” can participate in elementary and high school girl’s sports. 

The bill states that a student’s sex can only be indicated solely by “the student’s internal and external reproductive anatomy, the student’s naturally occurring level of testosterone; and an analysis of the student’s chromosomes.” 

The bill was introduced on Thursday and if passed, it will go into effect on July 1. 

NCAA’s new transgender athletes policy 

The NCAA announced a new policy that limits competition in women’s sports to student-athletes assigned female at birth only, effective immediately. 

The policy only permits student-athletes assigned male at birth to practice with women’s teams and receive benefits such as medical care while practicing. Student-athletes assigned female at birth and who have begun hormone therapy, like testosterone, cannot compete in a women’s team. 

READ MORE: NCAA: Women’s sports now only for student-athletes assigned female at birth

Trump’s Executive Order on transgender athletes 

The backstory:

Trump signed an Executive Order titled “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports”. The order gives federal agencies, including the Justice and Education departments, wide latitude to ensure entities that receive federal funding abide by Title IX in alignment with the Trump administration’s view, which interprets “sex” as the gender someone was assigned at birth. 

This is not the first time Trump targeted transgender rights since stepping into office for his second term. On his first day in office, he put out a sweeping order that had the federal government define sex as male and female only, and have official documents reflect that, including passports and federal prison assignments. 

READ MORE: Trump signs executive order aiming to ban transgender athletes from women’s sports