Loved this piece. Can you expand on NCAA comment as supportive? I’ve read the opposite, so was heartened to read your take. Also curious about what’s happening with the NWSL. Most NWSL matches I watch (particularly west coast ones), the supporters wave trans flags and put up trans banners. Kind of shocking how the supporters trans flags outnumber their team flags. I don’t know if this reflects the players themselves but, if it doesn’t, at the very least they are silent. There are also questions whether DSD males are playing but that subject is verboten. The DSD issue is completely separate from trans athletes but outcome is the same: xy males in women’s sports. I love the sport and don’t want it sullied by innuendo. Any insight into the NWSL?
Good question about trans flags at NWSL events, esp on the West Coast. Here's my conjecture: Since lesbians have been longtime fans and supporters of women's pro sports, especially basketball and soccer, and since many lesbians identify as part of the LGBTQ community (I do not, because it's now dominated by males who want access to women's sports and spaces, and I've always bristled at the assumption that being a lesbian means you're automatically "in" a certain community; my communities are more writerly and feminist and athletic, based on interests, rather than sexual/affectional orientation, tho I have oodles of lesbian friends)... and since many professional female athletes, including in soccer, are openly lesbian and that rightfully thrills lesbian fans, who have long awaited that day (hallelujah), and since the influential Megan Rapinoe is openly pro-male inclusion in women's sports if those males ID as trans, and since yes, as you mention, there seem to be males with DSDs in pro women's soccer... it's a trans-(male) dominated, rather than feminist-dominated, culture, esp on the West Coast. Hope that very long sentence helps! :-)
True, the new NCAA policy as of February is problematic, but it's a vast improvement over their previous policy. It unequivocally says "A student-athlete assigned male at birth may not compete for an NCAA women's team." That's good, and already having an effect.
They do allow such people to practice on women's teams - but men already practice on some women's teams (notably basketball) when coaches invite them to do so, to provide additional height/strength/speed challenges to the female players.
They do use the term "assigned male at birth," which is trans terminology, as if maleness were a random assignment, as opposed to an observable fact. They do not address athletes observed as female who are XY with fully functioning testosterone (certain DSDs, who should also be ineligible for female sport.)
They mention no enforcement mechanism. Will modified birth certificates do? Who will check? And they undermine the whole thing by deferring to local, state, and federal regulations. It's untenable for college athletes to compete against each other playing by different state or local rules. Someone needs to make the rules, and that should be the NCAA. Still: better than allowing males outright, or based on T levels, which they used to.
I see. A start. I understand the newest and potentially growing problem area is boys who were transitioned at a very young age and have always played on the girls teams with girls unaware they are boys. I can only see one way to stop this: cheek swabs for every player. It’s unobtrusive and only needs to be done once. I’m sure the ACLU and trans activists will go ballistic and I honestly don’t care. Protecting girls and women’s sports must be the goal. Do you know of anything else that we can trust to work?
Hi NGray, Cheek swabs, while approved by World Athletics and might make a comeback at the Olympics in 2028 (fingers crossed), are not practical yet at a high school or college level due to cost. ($50-$100 each). Better for now is the physician's approval-to-play form, where a doctor must approve all children in the U.S. at least for physical activity. This is based on birth records, which are usually accurate, and would catch the pre-puberty transitioners. (The doctor checks a M/F box, along with checking the heart, lungs, etc.) This form should follow the child through school and college. Medical/social/political awakenings that we must not sterilize and mutilate children will (fingers crossed, again) eventually make that scenario moot.
Thanks for all you are doing. I’m team “women deserve better”. I bought a hat that says that from the women’s running shoe business , Saysh,that Allyson Felix started after standing up for women against Nike. She is the most decorated track and field Olympian in history. Her last gold medal was won in 2021 with a 2 yo!
Yes, or better yet, headline should read: "Female athletes granted female-only category; male athletes reminded they can compete in the male category, regardless of gender identities or other beliefs. Everyone gets to play in the proper category; everyone wins." :-)
That you will be a speaker at Genspect is fantastic news, and your outline of points you intend to cover portends that your speech will be informative, inspiring, and actionable.
I particularly appreciated this point in your list: “Our leaders are champions with a history of teamwork, persistence, and strategic success. We deploy lessons learned through sports expertise and advocacy.” It reminds us, once again, that young women athletes, precisely because they have these skills, are very often tomorrow’s leaders (and in fact, we are already seeing many of them lead the way today, like the high schoolers who have spoke up on behalf of protecting the female category at their school boards).
I do have a question/suggestion: it would be terrific to have yours and the Working Group’s guidance on concrete, manageable “asks” we, as individuals, can make, whether athletes or not, to press lawmakers who remain benighted on these issues to do the right thing by women and girls. At ROAR, for example, we put out a call to action aimed at Democratic US Senators, after they voted against S. 9, to convene a meeting with the Women’s Sports Policy Working Group and consult with the group, eg, to arrive at a legislative proposal that, in your wonderful words, allows for both “Fairness + Decency. We can hold both things.”
We did that on our own, not knowing whether it was the best “ask,” but out of a sense of urgency to keep the heat on these Senators. We actually still get the occasional “hit” on that call, which suggests to us there are many out there, aware or becoming aware, who would like to raise their voices with their electeds, but could use help arriving at a good “ask.”
Extremely interested. 67 now, but I was once a young athlete and an ardent supporter of all people, but especially women and girls, to grow and thrive!
Loved this piece. Can you expand on NCAA comment as supportive? I’ve read the opposite, so was heartened to read your take. Also curious about what’s happening with the NWSL. Most NWSL matches I watch (particularly west coast ones), the supporters wave trans flags and put up trans banners. Kind of shocking how the supporters trans flags outnumber their team flags. I don’t know if this reflects the players themselves but, if it doesn’t, at the very least they are silent. There are also questions whether DSD males are playing but that subject is verboten. The DSD issue is completely separate from trans athletes but outcome is the same: xy males in women’s sports. I love the sport and don’t want it sullied by innuendo. Any insight into the NWSL?
Good question about trans flags at NWSL events, esp on the West Coast. Here's my conjecture: Since lesbians have been longtime fans and supporters of women's pro sports, especially basketball and soccer, and since many lesbians identify as part of the LGBTQ community (I do not, because it's now dominated by males who want access to women's sports and spaces, and I've always bristled at the assumption that being a lesbian means you're automatically "in" a certain community; my communities are more writerly and feminist and athletic, based on interests, rather than sexual/affectional orientation, tho I have oodles of lesbian friends)... and since many professional female athletes, including in soccer, are openly lesbian and that rightfully thrills lesbian fans, who have long awaited that day (hallelujah), and since the influential Megan Rapinoe is openly pro-male inclusion in women's sports if those males ID as trans, and since yes, as you mention, there seem to be males with DSDs in pro women's soccer... it's a trans-(male) dominated, rather than feminist-dominated, culture, esp on the West Coast. Hope that very long sentence helps! :-)
True, the new NCAA policy as of February is problematic, but it's a vast improvement over their previous policy. It unequivocally says "A student-athlete assigned male at birth may not compete for an NCAA women's team." That's good, and already having an effect.
They do allow such people to practice on women's teams - but men already practice on some women's teams (notably basketball) when coaches invite them to do so, to provide additional height/strength/speed challenges to the female players.
They do use the term "assigned male at birth," which is trans terminology, as if maleness were a random assignment, as opposed to an observable fact. They do not address athletes observed as female who are XY with fully functioning testosterone (certain DSDs, who should also be ineligible for female sport.)
They mention no enforcement mechanism. Will modified birth certificates do? Who will check? And they undermine the whole thing by deferring to local, state, and federal regulations. It's untenable for college athletes to compete against each other playing by different state or local rules. Someone needs to make the rules, and that should be the NCAA. Still: better than allowing males outright, or based on T levels, which they used to.
I see. A start. I understand the newest and potentially growing problem area is boys who were transitioned at a very young age and have always played on the girls teams with girls unaware they are boys. I can only see one way to stop this: cheek swabs for every player. It’s unobtrusive and only needs to be done once. I’m sure the ACLU and trans activists will go ballistic and I honestly don’t care. Protecting girls and women’s sports must be the goal. Do you know of anything else that we can trust to work?
Hi NGray, Cheek swabs, while approved by World Athletics and might make a comeback at the Olympics in 2028 (fingers crossed), are not practical yet at a high school or college level due to cost. ($50-$100 each). Better for now is the physician's approval-to-play form, where a doctor must approve all children in the U.S. at least for physical activity. This is based on birth records, which are usually accurate, and would catch the pre-puberty transitioners. (The doctor checks a M/F box, along with checking the heart, lungs, etc.) This form should follow the child through school and college. Medical/social/political awakenings that we must not sterilize and mutilate children will (fingers crossed, again) eventually make that scenario moot.
Thanks for all you are doing. I’m team “women deserve better”. I bought a hat that says that from the women’s running shoe business , Saysh,that Allyson Felix started after standing up for women against Nike. She is the most decorated track and field Olympian in history. Her last gold medal was won in 2021 with a 2 yo!
This: We center women and girls.
Headlines should not read, "Trans athlete banned from X,Y, and Z." It should read, "Trans athlete can compete in category of their birth sex."
And thanks, BMac. Amazing how different the world looks when we center women.
Yes, or better yet, headline should read: "Female athletes granted female-only category; male athletes reminded they can compete in the male category, regardless of gender identities or other beliefs. Everyone gets to play in the proper category; everyone wins." :-)
Yes, this version is even better!
That you will be a speaker at Genspect is fantastic news, and your outline of points you intend to cover portends that your speech will be informative, inspiring, and actionable.
I particularly appreciated this point in your list: “Our leaders are champions with a history of teamwork, persistence, and strategic success. We deploy lessons learned through sports expertise and advocacy.” It reminds us, once again, that young women athletes, precisely because they have these skills, are very often tomorrow’s leaders (and in fact, we are already seeing many of them lead the way today, like the high schoolers who have spoke up on behalf of protecting the female category at their school boards).
I do have a question/suggestion: it would be terrific to have yours and the Working Group’s guidance on concrete, manageable “asks” we, as individuals, can make, whether athletes or not, to press lawmakers who remain benighted on these issues to do the right thing by women and girls. At ROAR, for example, we put out a call to action aimed at Democratic US Senators, after they voted against S. 9, to convene a meeting with the Women’s Sports Policy Working Group and consult with the group, eg, to arrive at a legislative proposal that, in your wonderful words, allows for both “Fairness + Decency. We can hold both things.”
We did that on our own, not knowing whether it was the best “ask,” but out of a sense of urgency to keep the heat on these Senators. We actually still get the occasional “hit” on that call, which suggests to us there are many out there, aware or becoming aware, who would like to raise their voices with their electeds, but could use help arriving at a good “ask.”
(Here’s a link to that call, FYI: https://roarwomennyc.com/2025/03/10/call-to-action-tell-your-us-democratic-senators-to-meet-with-the-womens-sports-policy-working-group-asap/)
Most of all, enormous applause to you and all the other wonderful athletes who are leading the charge here. Your work inspires us all.
Good food for thought, Susan. Will work on this “action steps” question. Thanks so much.
Looking forward to those action steps! Thank you for all that you do!
Thank you, Kristin. Glad you're interested too.
Extremely interested. 67 now, but I was once a young athlete and an ardent supporter of all people, but especially women and girls, to grow and thrive!
Same plus 2 years. 😀
Brava, Mariah!
I can't be there in person but will be there in spirit.
Thank you for all you do for women.
Thanks, Lisa! 💜🙏
So glad to hear you will be a speaker! I'll see you there.
Thank you! Looking forward to meeting you there.