Speak Your Piece: Female athletes deserve fairness
I was following a track and field state championship in California involving a transgender high school athlete competing in the girl’s event that made national news before and after the contest.
This is an interesting story that involves allowing biologically male athletes to compete against females. It has been permitted, but now is challenged by President Donald Trump and the Department of Justice. Although there’s no local connection, we talked about it on WBCB’s Speak Your Piece. Fairness sparked the conversation.
Earlier this year, Trump issued an executive order, “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports,” to ensure women and girls can compete in fair, safe sports. Like some of the president’s other orders, he threatened federal funding for noncompliance. Who can forget his face-to-face confrontation in the White House with a defiant Democratic Maine Governor Janet Mills?
But there was no resistance from California Governor Gavin Newsom, who said it was “deeply unfair” for biological men to compete in women’s sports.
Last weekend, at the California Interscholastic Federation Track and Field State Championship, transgender athlete AB Hernandez won first place in two out of three events. There was no local, public opposition, only a plane overhead, its banner flying: “No boys in girl’s sports.” Two of the finalists refused to stand on the platform with her.
How did we get to a position where the actual law designed to protect students from being denied access to educational and athletic opportunities hurts? It began in 1972 with Title IX, the landmark federal civil rights law that prohibits discrimination based on sex in education and applies to all schools and colleges that receive federal funding.
It made sense at the time but arguably opened the door to the unforeseen dilemma facing female athletes and transgender competitors. The California Interscholastic Federation believes it is on solid legal ground, or was, before the Trump executive order.
The Department of Justice investigation will explore whether California is violating Title IX by allowing transgender athletic participation in sports, specifically Hernandez competing in track and field.
It’s all about fairness and fair play for young girls training to win awards and scholarships. Hopefully, every woman or girl with the courage to speak out will emphasize fairness and also safety.
Recently, I had the opportunity to talk to a few former college track athletes from Pennsylvania about the California case and each agreed they are fortunate they never had to compete against a biological male. They would not have had the option. Hopefully, fair-minded people will support female athletes — and the resistance will be successful.
Pat Wandling hosts Speak Your Piece, from which this commentary is adapted, weekdays at noon on WBCB 1490.
