The first case is about two biological males, one who played soccer on the girls team this fall and the other who plans on participating on the track team this winter.
A federal judge ruled earlier this year that the males can try out for and play on girls school sports teams as they seek to overturn the Fairness in Women’s Sports Act on behalf of all such male students in New Hampshire.
The law, signed by Gov. Chris Sununu in July, bans biological male athletes in grades 5 to 12 from teams that align with their claimed gender identity. It requires schools to designate all teams as either girls, boys or coed, with eligibility determined based on students’ birth certificates “or other evidence.”
Sununu had said it “ensures fairness and safety in women’s sports by maintaining integrity and competitive balance in athletic competitions.”
In the second case Thursday, a judge is expected to hear from school district officials in Bow defending their decision to bar parents from wearing pink wristbands with “XX” — representing the female chromosomes — at a girls high school soccer game in September. The parents sued the district in September.
Parker Tirrell, one of the boys challenging the state ban on participation, was playing on the opposing team that day.
The district issued no-trespass orders banning two parents from school grounds because they wore the wristbands. Those orders have since expired.
The judge also is expected to hear from the parents, who say their First Amendment rights were violated. They have requested a court order against the school district.
“Although the fall soccer season has ended, plaintiffs intend to continue wearing their wristbands at other school extracurricular events — such as swim meets and cross country meets — during this school year and in future school years,” the parents said in a court document.
School district officials said they acted appropriately.
