A transgender woman is suing the LPGA over a requirement which states all competitors must be "female at birth."
 
Lana Lawless, a 57-year-old who underwent gender reassignment surgery in 2005, filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in San Francisco claiming the policy violates California civil rights laws. Lawless, a retired police officer, won the women's world championship in long-drive golf in 2008 with a 254-yard drive into a headwind.  This year, Lawless was ruled ineligible because the sponsor of the event, Long Drivers of America, had changed its policy to mirror that of the LPGA.
 
The lawsuit against the LPGA also names Long Drivers of America and several of its sponsors, and seeks an unspecified amount in damages and a permanent injunction preventing the tour from holding tournaments or qualifying events in California as long as it continues to exclude transgender people.
 
“It’s an issue of access and opportunity,” Lawless said in a telephone interview Tuesday. “I’ve been shut out because of prejudice.”
 
Lawless claims she has no competitive edge over other female golfers.
 
—Source:  The New York Times