Teen girls sue Oregon over trans athlete laws, inspired by Gaines-Biles feud
A group of teen girls in Oregon have decided to take legal action against the state over its laws that allow transgender athletes to compete in girls’ sports. Maddie Eischen and Sophia Carpenter were inspired to file the lawsuit after witnessing the viral feud between Riley Gaines and Simone Biles in June.
The girls first made headlines when they refused to compete against a transgender athlete at the Chehalem Classic back in April. After their forfeit, Gaines reached out to them and encouraged them to consider legal action against the state.
The tipping point for Eischen and Carpenter came after seeing the public reaction to the online clash between Gaines and Biles. Eischen recalls seeing negative comments on Biles’ Instagram posts and was shocked by the backlash against the Olympic gymnast.
The feud between Gaines and Biles started when Biles criticized Gaines for supporting a Minnesota high school softball team with a transgender pitcher. Biles called Gaines “truly sick” and told her to “bully someone your own size, which would ironically be a male.” The exchange garnered attention from millions of social media users around the world.
Carpenter noted that the fallout from the Gaines-Biles feud brought attention to the issue of transgender athletes in girls’ sports among her social circles. She believes that the incident helped keep the issue in the news cycle and raised awareness among the general public.
The girls were particularly affected by Biles’ comments and subsequent apology, with Carpenter describing the situation as “backstabbing.” Eischen admitted that she no longer looked up to Biles in the same way after the incident.
The lawsuit, led by the America First Policy Institute, aims to hold state officials accountable for violating the girls’ sex-based rights under Title IX. The plaintiffs describe the emotional toll of having to compete against biological male athletes and detail their traumatic experience at the Chehalem Classic.
Despite fears of potential backlash, Eischen and Carpenter are committed to fighting for their rights and are prepared to face any challenges that may come their way. Eischen will be starting her collegiate athletic career as a women’s basketball player at Oregon Tech, while Carpenter will continue her high school sports career at Newberg High School, one of the defendants in the lawsuit.
The girls are determined to stand by their decision to file the lawsuit, even in the face of potential criticism. Fox News Digital has reached out to the Oregon Department of Education and Newberg High School for comment on the lawsuit.
In conclusion, the lawsuit filed by Eischen and Carpenter highlights the ongoing debate surrounding transgender athletes in girls’ sports and underscores the importance of protecting the rights of female athletes. It remains to be seen how this legal battle will unfold and what impact it will have on the future of sports in Oregon.
