3 weeks ago
Former U.S. women’s shot prima Megan Rapinoe and WNBA fable Sue Bird were among nan existent and erstwhile athletes who signed Athlete Ally’s missive to nan NCAA urging nan statement to forgo enacting a argumentation that would barroom trans athletes from competing successful women’s sports.
The missive from nan LGBTQ defense group came aft much than a twelve House Republican lawmakers urged NCAA president Charlie Baker to prohibition transgender athletes from competing successful women’s sports, following a argumentation set by nan National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics earlier this month. The lawmakers cited Lia Thomas’ nationalist title successful 2022, which marked Thomas arsenic nan first trans female to triumph an NCAA nationalist title.
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Megan Rapinoe, left, and Sue Bird be Michael Rubin's Fanatics Super Bowl statement astatine nan Marquee Nightclub astatine The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas connected Feb. 10, 2024 successful Las Vegas. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
"We, nan undersigned, telephone upon nan NCAA, a governing assemblage meant to service athletes and our wellbeing, to guarantee that nan lifesaving powerfulness of athletics is accessible to each athletes who compete successful title and emerging sports astatine and for NCAA-member institutions – including transgender athletes," nan missive read. "To contradict transgender athletes nan basal correct to beryllium who they are, to entree nan athletics they love, and to person nan proven intelligence and beingness wellness benefits of athletics goes against nan very principles of nan NCAA’s Constitution.
"By barring transgender athletes, you would beryllium severely limiting nan capacity of your personnel institutions to protect and support their athletes. Moreover, you would beryllium actively disparaging transgender athletes – nan aforesaid athletes you chose to protect erstwhile you agreed to service connected nan Board of Governors."
The missive cited South Carolina Gamecocks women’s hoops coach Dawn Staley’s support for transgender athletes aft being asked by OutKick astir nan issue.
The missive said nan conflict for fairness successful women’s sports misses nan existent issues "unequal pay, nonaccomplishment to uphold Title IX, rampant intersexual maltreatment and harassment of women and woman athletes, and a deficiency of adjacent resources for men’s and women’s teams."
OPINION: SPOTLIGHT ON WOMEN'S SPORTS EXPOSES THIS DARK SECRET OF THE NCAA
Megan Rapinoe, shot fable and co-founder of A Touch More, speaks during nan Business of Women Sport Summit presented by Deep Blue Sports and Axios astatine Chelsea Factory connected April 23, 2024 successful New York City. (Elsa/Getty Images)
Riley Gaines was besides nan target of nan letter, which blamed nan media for framing her "incite transphobic hatred and policy, contempt nan hundreds of swimmers who person stated their support for transgender athletes, endorsing nan expertise of medical, athletic, and quality authorities professionals who helped style nan IOC’s inclusive policy."
The missive did not mention nan grounds Gaines and Paula Scanlan gave to Congress astir nan NCAA allowing Thomas to alteration successful nan women’s locker room.
"As athletes, we cognize firsthand that athletics has nan powerfulness to alteration lives. Allowing transgender athletes wrong nan NCAA to participate successful nan sports they emotion arsenic who they genuinely are alongside their teammates fulfills nan existent tone of Olympism we each ascribe to. Sport should ne'er beryllium for a prime few. We telephone connected you to beryllium connected nan correct broadside of history and affirm that athletics is genuinely for america all. Do not prohibition transgender women from NCAA women’s sports."
U.S. women shot stars Becky Sauerbrunn, Sam Mewis and Lynn Williams joined Rapinoe, arsenic good arsenic WNBA players Brianna Turner and Layshia Clarendon. Olympic metallic medalist swimmer Brooke Forde was among nan swimmers who signed nan missive arsenic well.
Thomas did not motion nan letter.
Lia Thomas looks connected from down nan blocks for nan Women's 500 Yard Freestyle during nan 2022 NCAA Division I Women's Swimming & Diving Championship astatine nan McAuley Aquatic Center connected nan field of nan Georgia Institute of Technology connected March 17, 2022 successful Atlanta. (Mike Comer/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)
"The clip is now for nan NCAA and nan nationwide diversion organization to speak up and affirm that sports should beryllium for everyone, including transgender athletes," Rapinoe added successful a connection done Athlete Ally.
"To my chap cis women athletes: nan clip is now to opportunity large and clear that bans against trans athletes framed arsenic ‘protecting women’s sports’ do not speak for us, and do thing to protect us. To nan trans athletes fearing that they whitethorn beryllium sidelined from nan athletics they love: I spot you and perceive you and I americium WITH YOU."
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The NCAA told NBC News, "college sports are nan premier shape for women’s sports successful America and nan NCAA will proceed to beforehand Title IX, make unprecedented investments successful women’s sports and guarantee adjacent title for each student-athletes successful each NCAA championships."
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Ryan Gaydos is simply a elder editor for Fox News Digital.
