Booed for winning a state title, this Oregon teen now just wants a safe place to run
Simply put, no one is booed for “winning a state title.” They’re booed for cheating—entering a competition they have no right to be in and helping destroy girls’ and women’s sports. The “safe place to run” is in the boys’ category—which is open to everyone, by the way.
In February, President Donald Trump issued an executive order titled “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports” that aimed to ban transgender women from competing in girls and women’s sports, and had threatened to withhold federal funding from some states such as Maine if they did not comply.
Perhaps the best move of his presidency.
The next day the NCAA updated its policy to say that only athletes assigned female at birth would be allowed to compete in women’s sports, despite scant numbers of transgender athletes competing in intercollegiate athletics. In Canada, trans athletes are permitted to compete at the university level.
“Scant numbers” is a great example of narrative push, an author guiding readers to their point of view through language. Let’s not sugarcoat this: Every man who competes in women’s sports steals a spot from a woman who would have been there. For some teams, that means a scholarship. Every man who wins steals a podium spot or a medal. (See HeCheated.org for a list.)
On March 25, six days after Ada’s dominant win at McDaniel, the Trump administration launched an investigation into Portland Public Schools and the Oregon School Activities Association for allegedly violating Title IX that is still ongoing. On Wednesday, Trump initiated a similar investigation in California after a trans female qualified in three events at the state track meet. Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek has asserted that the OSAA is complying with state law.
It is a Title IX violation, which is federal law. Kotek is a correct, though, that the OSAA is complying with state law. That’s because the state law is horrendous and in violation of Title IX.
She wanted the opportunity to show that [on the track, racing against girls] she was where she belonged.
It is not.
She had slowly been transitioning since middle school, when she first started using they/them pronouns. As a freshman those became she/her. Once she turned 16 last fall, she started hormone therapy, which can be a key sticking point for many critics of trans athletes participating in women’s sports. Before it banned trans athletes completely, the NCAA previously required trans females to be on testosterone-blocking hormones for a year before they would be eligible for college competition.
First, let’s not pretend that minors can’t get sex hormones drugs as is sometimes claimed. The latest example is right here in the article. Second, the NCAA banned trans athletes (specifically men from playing in women’s sports) because male biological advantages are pronounced even with drugs.
Last year, Ada was not old enough to receive those hormones.
So legal at age 16 in Oregon. Got it.
Each week, Carolyn administers an injection. In recent months, Ada has seen her body change. She has become more sensitive and emotional.
Ada will also likely be infertile for life, have reduced bone density and height, and impaired sexual function if the drugs are continued. This is “success” in treating gender dysphoria as we do.
“She has become more sensitive and emotional.” I hate this sentence so much. Like Ada’s on the way to “real” womanhood via gender stereotypes.
Carolyn [the mom] wishes Ada could have competed against top competition while on hormones and held that up against those who choose to harass her daughter.
Most of us wish Ada would have competed in the boys’ category.