Despite former President Trump's executive order prohibiting transgender athletes from competing in girls' sports, the Minnesota State High School League has affirmed its commitment to inclusivity. The League announced that transgender athletes will continue to be permitted to participate in accordance with their gender identity.

This decision is grounded in the Minnesota Human Rights Act and the state's constitution, both of which offer protections for LGBTQ+ individuals. The League emphasized that these legal frameworks supersede the former president's executive order.

The League's statement clarifies that, like many youth sports organizations, it operates under state anti-discrimination laws. These laws prevent discrimination based on gender identity, thus allowing students to participate in sports aligned with their gender identity.

Minnesota now joins California in challenging the former president's directive. Governed by Tim Walz, who was Kamala Harris' running mate in the 2024 election, Minnesota has a history of advocating for transgender rights, including a recent Supreme Court case involving a transgender powerlifter seeking to compete against cisgender women.

The timing of the former president's executive order coincided with National Girls and Women in Sports Day. Prior to signing, then-White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt indicated the order aimed to pressure organizations like the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the NCAA to adopt similar policies.

Following the executive order, the NCAA reversed its 2010 policy and now requires athletes to compete based on their assigned sex at birth. Furthermore, during the signing ceremony, the former president announced that then-Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem would bar transgender women athletes from entering the country for the 2028 Olympics.

A United Nations study, "Violence against women and girls in sports," reported that nearly 900 cisgender female athletes have lost medals to transgender competitors, based on data collected up to March 30.