No sudden disclosure: Transgender athlete’s fight was publicly revealed long ago in legal battle with Florida

The revelation that a transgender girl was playing on the Monarch High girls’ volleyball team — as well as the resulting administrative shakeup — shocked many this week. But the student’s battle had actually been detailed in public court papers for more than two years.

The now 16-year-old athlete and her parents filed a federal lawsuit in June 2021 challenging a state law that bans transgender girls from playing on girls’ sports teams. In March, her lawyers revealed in a court filing that despite the law, she was actively playing volleyball on a high school girls’ team.

The lawyers also disclosed that the gender on her birth certificate had been changed from male to female.

A judge ruled Nov. 6 against the student, while also allowing her family to file an amended complaint.