State by State · No law protecting girls’ sports
Michigan has no law protecting girls' sports. The state's high school athletic association lets males who identify as girls play on girls' teams through a waiver. The state House voted twice in 2025 to change that, but the bills stalled in the Senate.
The law in Michigan
State policy allows males on girls' teams
Past attempts
2021: SB 218 (Sen. Lana Theis) to limit girls’ teams to females was introduced, the MHSAA called it “unnecessary,” and it was not enacted (source). March 2025: the House passed a nonbinding resolution urging the MHSAA to follow the federal executive order (source). May 22, 2025: the House passed HB 4066 (teams based on sex, 58-46) and HB 4469 (Elliott-Larsen amendment allowing birth-certificate eligibility, 59-45) (source). Neither advanced in the Democratic-controlled Senate, and Gov. Whitmer has said she would reject such bills (source).
The law in detail, with sources
The law
None. The Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) lets males who identify as girls play on girls’ teams through a waiver process. It kept that policy after the February 2025 executive order, citing Michigan’s Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act, which bars discrimination based on gender identity and expression (source; source).
Who it covers
MHSAA member high schools and middle schools.
Notes
Two such waivers were granted in the 2024-25 school year out of about 175,000 athletes (source). After the June 30, 2026 Supreme Court ruling, the MHSAA said “This doesn’t change anything on our end” and that “any change would need to come from our state legislature and government.” Michigan State University also said nothing changes for it under existing state law (source).
Briley Lechner, Monroe High School
Briley Lechner plays varsity volleyball at Monroe High School. At a September 9, 2025 match, a male played for the other team, and the family says he shared the locker room with the Monroe girls, who weren’t told until days later. Her father, Sean, filed a federal Title IX complaint that December. On October 9, 2026 the family sued Monroe Public Schools, the Michigan High School Athletic Association and school officials in federal court, represented by the Thomas More Law Center, which noted the support Briley had received from Riley Gaines and ICONS co-founder Kim Jones. U.S. Rep. Tim Walberg presented Briley with a “Courageous Voice Award.” Later that month, the Monroe school board voted 4–2 to keep its girls’ teams and facilities for females.
After the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on September 23, 2026, ICONS invited Briley to Washington to speak at the press conference on Capitol Hill.
“I’m not going to sit down until there is a change. And I’m going to continue to speak my word and share my story until us girls don’t have to feel uncomfortable.”
— Briley Lechner, at the Capitol Hill press conference
What ICONS has done in Michigan
- September 23, 2026 · ICONS invited Monroe High School volleyball player Briley Lechner to speak at the press conference on Capitol Hill after the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing
In the news
- Michigan school board votes to ban biological males from girls’ sports in major policy shift (Fox News, October 23, 2026)
- Michigan teen volleyball player files lawsuit after she unknowingly shared locker room with trans athlete (Fox News, October 17, 2026)
- Michigan High School Volleyball Player Files Federal Lawsuit Against School District, MHSAA (Dave Bondy News, October 14, 2026)
- 16-Year-Old Female Athlete Files Federal Lawsuit Under Title IX and U.S. Constitution (Thomas More Law Center, October 12, 2026)
- Female athletes, women’s sports advocates speak on Capitol Hill as trans athlete issue hovers over midterms (OutKick, September 24, 2026)
- Michigan father alleges bomb threat to home after daughter spoke up about facing trans athlete without knowing (OutKick, July 25, 2026)
- Michigan parent files Title IX complaint with allegations over transgender athlete playing in volleyball game (Michigan Public, December 9, 2025)