As a justification for the decision taken, the head of the school, Vicky Fogg, claimed that if there is a biological male to compete against them, then the game would not stand fair.
A basketball team from the Mid Vermont Christian School chose to forfeit a tournament as they refused to compete against a team that had a transgender player. The contest was organized to be held on February 21 between the teams of Mid Vermont Christian School and Long Trail School. But MVCS decided not to go ahead as they had a transgender as an opponent.
As a justification for the decision taken, the head of the school, Vicky Fogg, claimed that if there is a biological male to compete against them, then the game would not stand fair. Permitting someone with the physical ability of a man to play in women’s athletics is unjust and will affect the future of the school’s team as well as women’s sports at large.
In response to the circumstances, the Principals’ Association of Vermont, which is a sponsoring organization for various schools in sports activities, restated their support for the student. The association holds up the relevance of the gender identity of the athletes in its policy. They said that they respect the gender status of the student.
The Vermont Principals’ Association (VPA) specifies that their federation is strongly against any form of discrimination faced by students which include biases based on gender as well. They affirmed that strict actions will be taken in case of such instances.
The American Civil Liberties Union censured MVC’s stand in the tournament. They put forward the importance of having equal access to sports and their facilities for the student participants. The same should be done by considering transgenders and their needs and safety.
The ACLU’s statement was upheld by the LGBTQ+ youth service non-profit Outright Vermont. It is concerning to see a transgender being the target for detest at the high school level as such experiences affect the mental state of the victim. It will also indirectly influence the condition of the sufferer’s family.
What happened in MVC is evidence of the fact that people still have to fight for their right to exist. If the right steps are not taken against the exploiters, the safety of the campus space is going to get questioned in the coming days.
Does the inclusion of transgenders in sports matter?
Discourses have been taking place regarding the involvement of transgenders in women’s sports. Many conventionalists argue that transgender players in sports reserved for cisgender women don’t do justice. Few states have passed laws that restrict transgender students from participating in events for females.
When the National Collegiate Athletic Association in Texas favored the motion allowing transgenders to play with cisgenders, a huge protest took place outside the organization.
On the other hand, lawyers have come forward in support of trans people who have been subjected to oppression for a very long time. Taking into account that they often get life threats, they should be incorporated and safeguarded at all costs.
Reports have proved that over 50 percent of transgender youth contemplated committing suicide in the year in which decisions were made to legally restrict their access to fundamental requirements.