Two teens from New Hampshire, Parker Tirrell and Iris Turmelle, are taking a stand against laws that exclude transgender girls from competing in girls’ sports. They filed a federal lawsuit in August 2024 challenging a state law that prohibits transgender girls who were assigned male at birth from joining middle and high school girls’ teams.
Recently, the teens’ lawyers asked to expand their lawsuit. They now want to include President Trump’s executive order, issued on February 5, which aims to cut federal funding to schools that allow transgender girls to play on girls’ teams. This request was approved by the presiding judge, Landya McCafferty.
This updated lawsuit names Trump and several federal officials as defendants, alongside New Hampshire’s Department of Education Commissioner, Frank Edelblut, and the State Board of Education. It marks the first challenge against Trump’s executive order in federal court.
The teens’ legal team, consisting of GLBTQ Legal Advocates and Defenders and the ACLU of New Hampshire, argues that Trump’s order violates the Fifth Amendment’s equal protection clause and conflicts with Title IX, which prohibits sex-based discrimination in education. They are also seeking to block a January 20 order that directs federal agencies to remove gender identity references from their policies.
Parker, a 10th grader at Plymouth High School, plays on the girls’ soccer team. Iris, a ninth grader at Pembroke Academy, hopes to join the girls’ tennis and track teams. After filing their lawsuit, Judge McCafferty temporarily blocked the state law, allowing them to compete but leaving it still applicable to other students in New Hampshire.
However, their lawyers stress that Trump’s executive orders directly oppose the court’s ruling and could lead to their exclusion from sports. They argue, “The sweeping National Sports Ban intentionally discriminates against transgender people and is part of a systematic effort to harm transgender individuals.”
In response, the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office defends the law, claiming it is constitutional and designed to protect women’s sports by preventing perceived unfair advantages from transgender girls. They argue that excluding Parker and Iris wouldn’t cause “irreparable harm.”
As the case progresses, the plaintiffs are waiting for summonses to be issued for the new defendants. This step could take a few days before the lawsuit can proceed.
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Iris Turmelle,LGBTQ+,Parker Tirrell,transgender,transgender rights
