A transgender woman prohibited from competing in a strength competition as a female is suing the fitness company sponsoring the competition , seeking $ 2.5 million in damages . Chloie Jonsson , a personal trainer , charges the CrossFit company with discrimination , intentional infliction of emotional distress and unfair competition in a lawsuit filed Thursday in Santa Cruz , California . While her lawyer calls it a case of discrimination against transgender people , CrossFit 's lawyer calls it protecting the competition . Last year , Jonsson sought to compete in the CrossFit Games , a contest aimed at determining the fittest man and woman . According to the lawsuit , Jonsson has identified herself as a female since her teenage years and is legally recognized by California as a woman . She had sexual reassignment surgery in 2006 and has been on female hormone therapy , according to her lawsuit . The lawsuit alleges that a CrossFit teammate of Jonsson 's sent an anonymous e-mail to the games organizers asking about transgender athletes in the competition . CrossFit determined that competitors in the event had to compete in the gender of their birth . Jonsson disagreed with its decision and the dispute has escalated to a lawsuit . CrossFit maintains that Jonsson was born as a male , so she should compete in the men 's division , according to a letter from the company 's lawyer to Jonsson 's attorney . It also stated that the company had an `` obligation to protect the 'rights ' of all competitors and the competition itself . '' `` The fundamental , ineluctable fact is that a male competitor who has a sex reassignment procedure still has a genetic makeup that confers a physical and physiological advantage over women , '' according to the letter from CrossFit 's lawyer sent in October . CNN reached out to CrossFit but did not get a response on Thursday . The letter from CrossFit was provided to CNN by Jonsson 's attorney , Waukeen McCoy , who blasted the company 's decision . `` ( Jonsson ) does n't have an advantage over other women . She 's been on estrogen for such a long time , '' he said about his client . Hormone replacement therapy for transgender women includes anti-androgen therapy , which nullifies the effects of testosterone to reduce the masculine features of the body . Therapies can also consist of the hormones , estrogen and progesterone to feminize the body . Transgender men receive the opposite types of hormones -- mainly testosterone to masculinze their bodies with features such as increased muscle and hair growth . McCoy said that CrossFit should change its rules to be more like the International Olympic Committee , which allows transgender athletes to compete in their identified gender after undergoing sexual reassignment surgery . `` She 's female , '' McCoy said about Jonsson . `` She 's legally female . A corporation like CrossFit , they 're doing business in California . The law precludes from discrimination on gender identity . '' He said Jonsson seeks a reversal in the competition 's policy . The lawsuit also alleges that CrossFit 's policy of having to compete in a person 's original birth gender , would require that transgender athletes would have to reveal their personal histories . In essence , that they 'd have to `` out '' themselves , even if they sought privacy , the lawsuit alleges . After her sexual reassignment surgery , Jonsson changed all her records to reflect her sex change to female , including her birth certificate , according to her lawsuit . Jonsson kept her background a secret and did not identify herself as transgender , according to the complaint . In a press release statement , Jonsson said : `` If I am going to be forced to out myself , I want it to be for the good for all transgendered people and athletes -- not because of a company 's discriminatory policies . ''
Fitness trainer sought to compete in 2013 CrossFit Games . Games ' policy requires competitors to be in categories of gender of their birth . Chloie Jonsson 's lawyer calls it discrimination against transgender people . CrossFit calls it protecting the competition .