State by State · No law protecting girls’ sports
New York has no law protecting girls' sports. The state athletic association tells schools that state anti-discrimination law lets males who identify as girls play on girls' teams, though Nassau County has its own rule for county facilities.
The law in New York
State policy allows males on girls' teams
The law in detail, with sources
The law
No state law limiting girls’ teams to females. NYSPHSAA’s transgender guidelines, approved July 29, 2015, let a school decide eligibility by gender identity once the superintendent confirms it through a parent, guardian or doctor. The guidelines are advisory (ABC7, July 30, 2015). On Feb 11, 2025, NYSPHSAA’s executive director told member schools to keep following “New York state anti-discrimination laws, which allow students to participate on interscholastic teams that best align with their gender identity” (Fox News, Feb 11, 2025).
Who it covers
NYSPHSAA member schools (public and some private high schools); state anti-discrimination law covers public schools.
Notes
The U.S. Department of Education opened Title IX investigations in 2025 into New York City public schools, a Long Island district and Saratoga Springs over policies letting students play sports by gender identity (Stefanik release citing NY Post, May 2025; ABC7). The department pulled about $47 million in grants from NYC schools over their transgender policies, and the city sued (District Administration). Locally, Nassau County’s Local Law 121-24 bars males from female teams at county-run facilities, and a state trial judge upheld it (News12). That rule covers county facilities, not schools statewide. The state Attorney General criticized the June 30, 2026 Supreme Court ruling (NY AG, June 30, 2026).