Democrats and LGBTQ+ advocates in New Jersey are gearing up for a legal fight in response to an executive order from President Donald Trump that threatens to pull education funding from schools that allow transgender athletes to play on women’s sports teams.
The New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, the state’s governing body for high school sports, said during an executive committee meeting last month that it would not change its policy that allows high school athletes to play on the team matching their gender identity, which mirrors state policy.
The Trump administration has already targeted other states and athletic associations for failing to comply with the president’s orders on transgender student-athletes. Democratic lawmakers, officials and LGBTQ+ advocates in New Jersey are now contending with the possibility that standing up against the executive order could lead to federal funding cuts for schools.