Oregon teens settle free speech suit with OSAA
Former Oregon high school athletes Alexa Anderson and Reese Eckard agreed with the Oregon School Activities Association to dismiss their federal free‑speech lawsuit on Tuesday after they stepped off a state medal podium in May to protest a transgender competitor and alleged retaliation over medals and photos. A separate Title IX lawsuit remains pending, and last month U.S. District Judge Youlee Yim You denied OSAA’s motion to strike portions of the complaint referencing other political speech the league permits.
📌 Key Facts
- Anderson and Eckard filed the First Amendment suit in July after a May podium protest at the Oregon state track championships.
- Court filing says the parties agreed to dismiss and OSAA did not oppose; plaintiffs’ attorneys are with AFPI.
- Judge Youlee Yim You previously denied OSAA’s motion to strike sections about permitted BLM and Pride messaging.
- A separate Title IX case by the athletes against OSAA is ongoing.
📊 Relevant Data
In elite youth track and field, the sex difference in high jump performance increases to 18.4% ± 2.04% at 18 years, with males jumping higher than females.
In elite youth track and field, the sex difference in running events increases to 12.6% ± 1.8% at 18 years, with males running faster than females.
After at least one year of gender-affirming hormone therapy, transgender women showed lower relative jump height (0.7 ± 0.2 cm/kg) compared to cisgender women (1.0 ± 0.2 cm/kg).
Strength, power and aerobic capacity of transgender athletes: a cross-sectional study — British Journal of Sports Medicine
The OSAA policy allows students to participate in athletic programs consistent with their asserted gender identity without requiring hormone therapy or medical transition.
Gender Participation Policy — Oregon School Activities Association
There are an estimated 300,100 transgender youth ages 13-17 in the United States.
The Impact of Transgender Sports Participation Bans on Transgender Youth — Williams Institute