Transgender Golfer Lana Lawless Sues LPGA for Right to Compete

Oct. 14 ,2010— -- A transgendered golfer has filed suit against the LPGA -- the Ladies Professional Golf Association -- saying the organization's rules that a player must be "female at birth" are outdated and discriminatory.

Lana Lawless, 57, said she was denied membership in the national women's golf governing body even though she is a post-operative transsexual and considered a woman by her home state of California.

She filed suit against the LPGA this week in U.S. District Court in San Francisco as well as against the Long Drivers of America, which has also prohibited her from competing in their golf tournaments.

"I'm not physically as strong as I used to be," Lawless said. "I'm well under the top end of testosterone levels for genetically-born females."

The suit also seeks an injunction to bar the LGPA and LDA from holding tournaments and qualifying events in California as long as they continue to deny post-operative transgender competitors.

"How I feel is, 'Here we go again,'" said Lawless, a retired police officer who says she has lost a commercial golf sponsor because she has been prevented from competing.

According to court documents, Lawless won the LDA's women's long drive championship in 2008, when the organization had no set rule on transgendered athletes. But a change in policy to mirror the LGPA's "female at birth" requirement both disqualified her from future competition, the lawsuit charges, and made her ineligible to reap the benefits from her 2008 win.

"I'm the only professional women's golfer in the United States. I'm the champion. They changed the rule," she said. "How can you say it's not directed at me?"

Lawless' lawsuit also names as defendants several sponsors of the LDA tournaments, including CVS, Dick's Sporting Goods and Re/Max.

Mike Scanlan, LGPA's public relations manager, confirmed the tour's "female at birth" policy but declined to comment on why it was in place when other sports associations, including the International Olympic Committee, allow transgendered athletes to compete with stipulations.

"We haven't been formally served with the lawsuit so we can't comment at this time," Scanlan said. "Our policy is what it is currently, and beyond that we don't have much to say."

Lawless underwent gender reassignment surgery in September 2005.

The vice president of the LDA referred comment to the organization's attorney, who did not return messages seeking comment.