Martha Madsen

The question of whether trans women athletes "ruin" competition for "regular" girls is a minuscule problem if it is a problem at all. Has anyone asked teammates whether they feel oppressed by the inclusion of a trans girl on their team? As an educator, I know that the much bigger problem is that of acceptance and belonging. Many young people (including those born intersex or trans) feel alienated due to a lack connection and lack of community. We all need to belong. An athletic team is one such way to belong. All the trans women/girls I am aware of are gentle beings who do not dominate. To me the suicidality of those who are trans ( due to being unaccepted and excluded) is a much bigger problem than a trans woman playing on a girls' team. The statistics are tiny on this issue of girls sports teams with trans players . This bill is a cruel policy and a distraction from the much bigger issues we need to solve together (mental health, civility, educational opportunity, housing, affordable health care...) Why are we picking on the people who are already struggling?