MinnesotaStateHighSchoolLeaguePolicyRegardingParticipationofTransgenderStudents

The Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) allows participation for all students regardless of their gender identity orexpression. Thepurposeof thispolicy is todesignatea setofcriteria inwhich studentathletesareable tocompeteona levelplaying field inasafe,competitiveand friendlyenvironment, freeofdiscrimination. Fundamental fairness,aswellasmost local,stateandfederalrulesandregulations,requiresschoolstoprovideatransgenderstudentwithequalopportunitiestoparticipateinathletics.Thispolicycreatesaframeworkforsuchparticipation.Forthepurposeofthispolicy,thefollowingdefinitionswillbeinplace.

x Transgendered Person: a personwhose gender identity is different from andwhich does notmatch the genderassignedatbirth.

x Intersex Person: a personwho is bornwith a reproductive or sexual anatomy and/or chromosome pattern thatdoesntseemtofitthetypicaldefinitionsoffemaleormale.

x GenderIdentity:apersonsdeeplyfeltinternalsenseofbeingmaleorfemale.x GenderExpression:apersonsexternalcharacteristicsandbehaviorsthataresociallydefinedaseithermasculineor

feminine(ie.dress,speech,mannerisms,socialinteractions,etc.)TheMSHSLTransgenderPolicyaddressesonlytransgenderstudentsanddoesnotalterexistingMSHSLrules.MinnesotaState lawdoesnotprohibitgirlsfromplayingonteamstraditionallyidentifiedasboysteams.Specifically,Minn.Stat.121A.04,subd.3(d)statesthefollowing: If two teamsareprovided in thesamesport,oneof these teamsmayberestricted tomembersofasexwhose

overallathleticopportunitieshavepreviouslybeenlimited,andmembersofeithersexshallbepermittedtotryoutfortheotherteam.

PrivacyStatementTo theextentprovidedby law,alldiscussionsanddocumentsatall levelsof theprocess,eitherbyamemberschooland/or theMSHSL,shallbekeptconfidentialunlessotherwisespecificallyrequested,inwriting,bythestudentandfamily.MSHSLMemberSchoolIdentificationProcessThe student/students parent(s)/legal guardian(s) shall contact the school administrator, or athletic/activity director at the highschoolthestudentattendsnotifyingthemthatthestudenthasagenderidentitydifferentthanassignedatbirthandaslistedonthestudents school registration or birth certificate and that the student wishes to participate in athletic activities in a mannerconsistentwiththeirgenderidentity.

1. In order to determine the gender identity of the student for athletic participation and to ensure the purpose forparticipationdoesnotcreateanunfaircompetitiveadvantage, theschooladministratororathletic/activitydirectormayreviewinformationincluding,butnotlimitedto:

a. Awrittenstatementfromthestudent/studentsparent(s)/legalguardian(s)affirmingtheconsistent

genderidentityandexpressiontowhichthestudentselfrelates.b. Thegenderidentityusedforschoolmedicalandregistrationrecords.c. Documentation frommedicalpersonnelactingwithin their scopeof licensure regarding the length

and duration of hormonal treatments, sexual reassignment surgery, psychological counseling,medicalrecords,andanyotherrecognizabledocumentationdeemedtobenecessarybytheschool.

d. Genderidentity related advantages for the student if participation is approved (information canincludethesizeandskillofthestudent).

2. When the school administrator or athletic/activity director has reviewed all of the relevant information, the school

administratororathletic/activitydirector,actingwithintheirscopeofresponsibilityasassignedbytheschoolboard,shallmaketheinitialdeterminationaboutthegenderofthestudentandshallcontacttheMSHSLoffice,inwriting,withsuchdetermination.

3. Suchdeterminationby thememberschooladministratororathletic/activitydirectorshallbebasedonthe informationreviewedbythememberschoolandasrequiredinMSHSLBylaw305.00,MasterEligibilityList.

LOCALLEVELAPPEALPROCESSIf the schooladministratororathletic/activitydirector,actingwithin their scopeof responsibilityasassignedby the local schoolboard,doesnotaffirmthetransgenderstudentsparticipation,withinthegenderrequested,thestudent/studentsparent(s)/legalguardian(s)mayfileanappeal,inwriting,withthestudentsschool.The schoolmusthave a local appealpolicy inplacewhereby the student, in concertwith the student/studentsparent(s)/legalguardian(s)areprovidedanopportunity toaddressandprovide relevant informationas identified in the localappealpolicy.Anypersoninvolvedintheinitialeligibilitydeterminationcanprovideinformation,butmaynotserveasamemberofthelocalappealprocess.Relevant documentation, including subsequent information submitted by the student/students parent(s)/guardian(s), must bereceivedasdeterminedbytheschool.The school administrator, following a complete reviewof the requested informationper the local appealpolicy,must send theappealdecision,inwriting,tothestudent/studentsparent(s)/guardian(s),andtotheExecutiveDirectoroftheMSHSLwithinfive(5)businessdaysfollowingthehearingatthelocalschoollevel.LeagueLevelHearing

1. Iftheappealatthelocalschooldoesnotaffirmthetransgenderstudentsparticipation,withinthegenderrequested,thestudent/studentsparent(s)/guardian(s)mayfileanappeal,inwriting,totheExecutiveDirectoroftheMSHSL.

2. Uponreceiptof theappeal, theExecutiveDirectorof theMSHSLshallreview thesubmitteddocumentsandrespond in

writing to the member school and the student/students parent(s)/legal guardian(s) whether the MSHSL agrees ordisagreeswith thememberschoolsparticipationdetermination.TheMSHSLmayextend the response time inorder toconferwithalicensedphysicianexperiencedwithgenderidentificationandactingwithinthephysiciansscopeoflicensurebeforemakingaparticipationruling.

3. Unless the Executive Director of theMSHSL extends the response time in order to consult with a licensed physician

experiencedwithgenderidentificationandactingwithinthephysiciansscopeoflicensure,thedecisionoftheExecutiveDirectorof theMSHSL shallbecommunicated to themember school, the student/studentsparent(s)/legalguardian(s)within ten (10)businessdays following the initial receiptof the information from the student/studentsparent(s)/legalguardian(s).

4. If the ExecutiveDirector of theMSHSL does not affirm the transgender students participation, the student/students

parent(s)/guardian(s)mayappealthedecisionoftheExecutiveDirectortotheMSHSLBoardofDirectorswhowillidentifyan Independent Hearing Officer as identified in the appeal procedure published in the most current MSHSL OfficialHandbookandontheMSHSLwebsite.(SeeFairHearingProcedure).

5. The IndependentHearingOfficershallconductahearingandsubmitawrittendecisiontotheMSHSLBoardofDirectors

regardingtheeligibilitydeterminationforthetransgenderathleteinquestion.

6. ThedecisionoftheIndependentHearingOfficershallbefinal.AreasofAwarenessforMemberSchools

x Haveaplan inplace toaddress theeligibilityandnecessaryaccommodation(s) forany transgenderstudent inyourschool.

x Usecorrectnames/pronounsaccordingtoastudentsselfidentification.x Ensurereasonableandappropriaterestroomandlockerroomaccessibilityforstudents.x Educateteachers,counselors,coaches,administrators,parents,students,andothersregardingtransgendersensitivity

relativetostudents.x Permitthestudenttodressaccordingtothestudentsgenderidentity.