A transgender woman on Thursday filed a
lawsuit in California claiming discrimination against fitness company
CrossFit.
According
to CNN, Chloie Jonsson, a personal trainer, was not allowed to
compete as a female in the CrossFit Games, a strength competition
sponsored by CrossFit.
Jonsson's lawsuit charges the company
with discrimination, intentional infliction of emotional distress and
unfair competition.
Jonsson, who in 2006 underwent gender
reassignment surgery, is legally recognized as a woman by the state
of California, according to her lawsuit.
CrossFit maintains that athletes must
compete in the division that matches their gender at birth.
“The fundamental, ineluctable fact is
that a male competitor who has a sex assignment procedure still has a
genetic makeup that confers a physical and physiological advantage
over women,” the company's lawyer wrote in a letter.
Waukeen McCoy, Jonsson's attorney,
disagreed with the company's assertion.
“[Jonsson] doesn't have an advantage
over other women. She's been on estrogen for such a long time,” he
said.
“She's female,” McCoy continued.
“She's legally female. A corporation like CrossFit, they're doing
business in California. The law precludes from discrimination on
gender identity.”