Settlement reached in Minnesota trans athlete powerlifting case
The settlement ends a case where the Minnesota Supreme Court found USA Powerlifting violated the state's Human Rights Act by barring JayCee Cooper from competition.
Updated on: April 28, 2026 / 5:51 PM EDT / CBS/AP
The Legal Director at Gender Justice, which represented Cooper, announced the settlement and stated, "We celebrate this victory, but we also remain vigilant and ready to take action to ensure that all Minnesotans, including transgender Minnesotans, can participate in sports, schools, employment, and health care without facing discrimination because of who they are."
The case began after Cooper, a transgender woman, was denied entry into two women's powerlifting competitions in 2018. Cooper sued, arguing that the exclusion amounted to discrimination under Minnesota law. USA Powerlifting maintained that its policy was based on what it described as "strength advantages" related to sex assigned at birth, not transgender status.
In October 2025, the Minnesota Supreme Court ruled that USA Powerlifting's policy of categorically excluding transgender women from the women's division constituted discrimination in public accommodations. The court noted that, at the time of its decision, USA Powerlifting did not have a formal written policy but did exclude transgender women from competition.
The court also sent a separate business discrimination claim back to a lower court for further proceedings, instructing that USA Powerlifting would need to demonstrate that its policy was reasonably necessary for its business mission and not based on stereotypes.