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Oregon GOP Women Urge Athletic Association to Protect Girls’ Sports
Lawmakers are demanding a change to policies that allow boys to compete in girls’ sports after a transgender runner dominated a high school track event.
Lia Thomas, who identifies as transgender, looks on after swimming the 500 freestyle at Blodgett Pool, in Cambridge, Mass., on Feb. 17, 2022. Kathryn Riley/Getty Images
A group of 12 women from the Oregon House and Senate Republican Caucuses is demanding that the Oregon Schools Activities Association (OSAA) change its high school sports policy to allow only biological women to compete in girls’ sports.
The letter was issued after a male student, who identifies as transgender, was seen in a viral video outperforming his female competitors in the girls’ division at the “Sherwood Need for Speed Classic” track meet.
The student posted a time of 25.49 seconds in the heat of the women’s varsity 200-meter race, beating the next closest runner by 4.5 seconds.
Still just a sophomore, his most recent race time now makes him the third-fastest 200-meter dash runner in the state for the girls’ division.
The third fastest time in the OSAA boys’ division of the 200 meters is 21.75, nearly 3.75 seconds faster.
The personal record time earned the student second place in the Sherwood event behind a female student, who currently holds the Oregon women’s 100-meter dash record and the state’s second-fastest girls’ 200-meter time, according to OSAA records.
He also placed in the top ten in three other track events in the competitions, all in girls’ divisions.
“Biological males have a very clear advantage. You have to be blind not to see that,” said Rep. Christine Goodwin, who signed the letter calling for an end to the policy that allows transgender students to participate in sports that align with their gender identity.
The male student’s ability to compete in the girl’s division sparked outrage on social media.
“Let’s call this what it is: encouraged AND celebrated cheating at the hands of the ‘adults’ in the room,” women’s sports activist and former competitive swimmer Riley Gaines said on social media platform X. “So many fingers to point, but shame on the parents, the schools, the boy, our weak administration, and @OSAASports.”
The Independent Council on Women’s Sports wrote that “Championing boys in girls sports is blatant misogyny.” OutKick founder Clay Travis said it was “Another proud moment for ‘women’s’ sports!”
GOP Women React
In its April 17 letter to OSAA executive director Peter Weber, Oregon Republicans urged the OSAA board of directors to take immediate action to “protect equal rights of women in high school sports by only allowing biological women to compete in girls’ sports.”
“We write to you today as women who have had the honor of making significant achievements in our respective lives and who use those achievements to serve the people of Oregon,” the letter states.
“We have worked to live up to the examples of the women who came before, and we strive to be an example to the young girls who will be here after us. It is in this context that we bring to your attention the unfortunate situation that transpired at McDaniel High School in Sherwood this past weekend.”
The legislators ask that the OSAA change its Gender Identity Participation policy, which states: “OSAA endeavors to allow students to participate for the athletic or activity program of their consistently asserted gender identity while providing a fair and safe environment for all students.
“For both historical reasons, as well as reasons related to compliance with Title IX, interscholastic athletics and activities have typically been divided by gender, with a few exceptions.
“Formulating new processes to address concerns about participation regardless of a student’s gender identity requires a new approach to eligibility, an approach reflected in these policies.”
The OSAA currently stipulates that once a transgender competitor notifies their school of their gender identity they will be “consistently treated as that gender for purposes of eligibility for athletics.”
The stated goal of this current policy is to “promote harmony and fair competition among member schools.”
But the Republican caucus says the policy isn’t working. “Sadly, this policy has precisely the opposite of its stated effect,” the legislators claim in their letter. “Instead of promoting harmony, it has sparked outrage. Instead of ensuring fair competition, a biological male has found a place in the female sports record books. Any girls’ title held by a male is not a girls’ title at all,” the legislators added.
“This policy leads us to conclude that the OSAA and the State of Oregon do not deem girls and girls’ sports worthy of protecting and that the records they set are not meaningful.”
The lawmakers also claim in their letter that this policy creates opportunities for male students who are unable to compete at the highest levels against their male peers to compete instead in female sports and break records that are rightfully held by girls.
“We hope that you can provide a solution to the families seeking answers about why the OSAA doesn’t feel girls’ sports should be a safe space for biological females to compete and succeed.”
Absent a change to the policy, the lawmakers say they are “left no choice” but to encourage parents to withdraw their girls from competitions in which biologically male athletes are allowed to participate.
The letter also says the lawmakers plan to pursue a statutory change in the 2025 session to remove records set by biologically male athletes in girls’ sports.
The Oregon House Democratic Caucus issued a response to the Republican’s letter on April 17. The statement read, in part: “These public attacks against the LGBTQ+ community from Republican politicians are predictable, offensive, and dangerous. Oregon student-athletes should not be worried about politicians using their names in an effort to politicize or police gender.”
The OSAA declined The Epoch Times’ request for an interview but stated the association will be consulting with counsel and its executive board before providing Republican lawmakers with a response.
Scottie Barnes writes breaking news and investigative pieces for The Epoch Times from the Pacific Northwest. She has a background in researching the implications of public policy and emerging technologies on areas ranging from homeland security and national defense to forestry and urban planning.
Oregon GOP Women Urge Athletic Association to Protect Girls’ Sports
A group of 12 women from the Oregon House and Senate Republican Caucuses is demanding that the Oregon Schools Activities Association (OSAA) change its high school sports policy to allow only biological women to compete in girls’ sports.
The letter was issued after a male student, who identifies as transgender, was seen in a viral video outperforming his female competitors in the girls’ division at the “Sherwood Need for Speed Classic” track meet.
The student posted a time of 25.49 seconds in the heat of the women’s varsity 200-meter race, beating the next closest runner by 4.5 seconds.
Still just a sophomore, his most recent race time now makes him the third-fastest 200-meter dash runner in the state for the girls’ division.
The third fastest time in the OSAA boys’ division of the 200 meters is 21.75, nearly 3.75 seconds faster.
The personal record time earned the student second place in the Sherwood event behind a female student, who currently holds the Oregon women’s 100-meter dash record and the state’s second-fastest girls’ 200-meter time, according to OSAA records.
He also placed in the top ten in three other track events in the competitions, all in girls’ divisions.
“Biological males have a very clear advantage. You have to be blind not to see that,” said Rep. Christine Goodwin, who signed the letter calling for an end to the policy that allows transgender students to participate in sports that align with their gender identity.
The male student’s ability to compete in the girl’s division sparked outrage on social media.
“Let’s call this what it is: encouraged AND celebrated cheating at the hands of the ‘adults’ in the room,” women’s sports activist and former competitive swimmer Riley Gaines said on social media platform X. “So many fingers to point, but shame on the parents, the schools, the boy, our weak administration, and @OSAASports.”
GOP Women React
In its April 17 letter to OSAA executive director Peter Weber, Oregon Republicans urged the OSAA board of directors to take immediate action to “protect equal rights of women in high school sports by only allowing biological women to compete in girls’ sports.”“We write to you today as women who have had the honor of making significant achievements in our respective lives and who use those achievements to serve the people of Oregon,” the letter states.
“We have worked to live up to the examples of the women who came before, and we strive to be an example to the young girls who will be here after us. It is in this context that we bring to your attention the unfortunate situation that transpired at McDaniel High School in Sherwood this past weekend.”
The legislators ask that the OSAA change its Gender Identity Participation policy, which states: “OSAA endeavors to allow students to participate for the athletic or activity program of their consistently asserted gender identity while providing a fair and safe environment for all students.
“For both historical reasons, as well as reasons related to compliance with Title IX, interscholastic athletics and activities have typically been divided by gender, with a few exceptions.
“Formulating new processes to address concerns about participation regardless of a student’s gender identity requires a new approach to eligibility, an approach reflected in these policies.”
The OSAA currently stipulates that once a transgender competitor notifies their school of their gender identity they will be “consistently treated as that gender for purposes of eligibility for athletics.”
The stated goal of this current policy is to “promote harmony and fair competition among member schools.”
But the Republican caucus says the policy isn’t working. “Sadly, this policy has precisely the opposite of its stated effect,” the legislators claim in their letter. “Instead of promoting harmony, it has sparked outrage. Instead of ensuring fair competition, a biological male has found a place in the female sports record books. Any girls’ title held by a male is not a girls’ title at all,” the legislators added.
“This policy leads us to conclude that the OSAA and the State of Oregon do not deem girls and girls’ sports worthy of protecting and that the records they set are not meaningful.”
The lawmakers also claim in their letter that this policy creates opportunities for male students who are unable to compete at the highest levels against their male peers to compete instead in female sports and break records that are rightfully held by girls.
“We hope that you can provide a solution to the families seeking answers about why the OSAA doesn’t feel girls’ sports should be a safe space for biological females to compete and succeed.”
Absent a change to the policy, the lawmakers say they are “left no choice” but to encourage parents to withdraw their girls from competitions in which biologically male athletes are allowed to participate.
The letter also says the lawmakers plan to pursue a statutory change in the 2025 session to remove records set by biologically male athletes in girls’ sports.
The Oregon House Democratic Caucus issued a response to the Republican’s letter on April 17. The statement read, in part: “These public attacks against the LGBTQ+ community from Republican politicians are predictable, offensive, and dangerous. Oregon student-athletes should not be worried about politicians using their names in an effort to politicize or police gender.”
The OSAA declined The Epoch Times’ request for an interview but stated the association will be consulting with counsel and its executive board before providing Republican lawmakers with a response.