ST. PAUL (AP) — A transgender athlete should be allowed to compete in the women’s division at powerlifting events because she’s protected against discrimination by the Minnesota Human Rights Act, her attorneys urged the state Supreme Court on Tuesday.

USA Powerlifting rejected JayCee Cooper’s application in 2018 to compete in the women’s division of its events on the ground that she enjoys strength advantages over other women. Cooper sued in 2021, and the trial court sided with her.

But the Minnesota Court of Appeals sent the case back to the trial court in March, saying there were “genuine issues of fact” about whether USA Powerlifting excluded Cooper because of her transgender identity and whether the organization had a “legitimate business reason” for rejecting her. Cooper then took the case to the state’s highest court.

Cooper’s attorney, Christy Hall, said USA Powerlifting’s policy discriminates against all transgender women, regardless of their individual physical capabilities, and urged the justices to reverse the Court of Appeals decision.