In a bold move, the families of two teenage girls have filed a lawsuit against California Attorney General Rob Bonta, challenging the state’s laws that allow transgender athletes to compete in female sports. This lawsuit, which has caught the attention of concerned parents across the nation, calls into question the fairness and safety of policies that permit biological males to compete against girls in high school athletics.
The case was brought forth by Ryan Starling, the father of Taylor Starling, and the Slavin family, parents of Kaitlyn Slavin, with legal representation from the organization Save Girls Sports. The suit names California Attorney General Rob Bonta, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, and officials from the Riverside Unified School District as defendants. The plaintiffs are arguing that California’s law allowing transgender individuals to compete in female sports is a violation of Title IX, a federal law that was designed to ensure equal opportunities and fairness for women in education and athletics.
Advocates for Faith & Freedom, the legal firm representing the families, explained to Fox News that California’s law, particularly Assembly Bill 1266 (AB 1266), directly contradicts federal protections under Title IX. “This law conflicts with federal Title IX protections, which were established to ensure fairness, safety, and equal opportunities for female students and athletes,” they said. “AB 1266 undermines female athletes, forcing them to compete against biological males who hold undeniable physical advantages. This is not equality. This is an assault on fairness and safety.”
The controversy began when Taylor Starling, a dedicated cross-country athlete at Martin Luther King High School in Riverside, California, allegedly lost her spot on the varsity team to a transgender athlete who had transferred to the school. Both Taylor and Kaitlyn Slavin, another student-athlete affected by similar policies, wore t-shirts reading “Save Girls Sports” in protest, but were reportedly reprimanded by school officials for doing so.
The lawsuit seeks a federal ruling that AB 1266 violates Title IX and demands that the Riverside Unified School District be held accountable for allegedly infringing on their daughters’ First Amendment rights. The families are requesting an injunction to stop schools from forcing biological girls to compete against transgender athletes. In addition, they are seeking a judgment that affirms sex-based protections in athletics and compensation for damages caused by these policies.
Ryan Starling spoke out about the emotional toll this situation has had on his family, especially as cross-country was a central part of his daughter’s life. When he confronted school officials about his daughter’s loss of her position, he was reportedly told that “transgenders have more rights than cisgenders.” According to Starling, this sentiment was repeated multiple times to his daughter and her sister, as well as to other female students.
“It’s been told multiple times to not just Taylor, but her sister,” said Ryan Starling. “All the administrators at Martin Luther King have stated this comment, and the Title IX coordinator for the Riverside Unified School District has stated ‘that as a cisgender girl, they do not have the same rights as a transgender girl’ to multiple girls, not just our daughters, but multiple girls on campus.”
The Slavin family also expressed frustration with the policies and called for change. “If nothing changes here in the next couple of years, it absolutely should be part of the next election,” said Dan Slavin. “I want to see policies change. I keep saying the system is broken, and it’s doing more harm than good. And I want to see people understand that and admit that.”
As the battle over fairness in women’s sports continues, many are watching closely to see whether the legal system will side with the families fighting for equal opportunities or if state laws like AB 1266 will continue to tip the scales in favor of transgender athletes at the expense of female competitors. This case is set to be a significant moment in the ongoing debate about the intersection of gender identity, athletics, and fairness.
