West Virginia Girls ‘Step-Out’ of Track & Field Meet to Protest Transgender Competitor
20th April 2024
On Tuesday, a United States Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that a West Virginia law that bars biological boys from competing on girls’ sports teams cannot be enforced with regard to a 13-year-old who competes on the girls’ track and field team at the athlete’s middle school.
“The defendants cannot expect that [this athlete] will countermand her social transition, her medical treatment, and all the work she has done with her schools, teachers, and coaches for nearly half her life by introducing herself to teammates, coaches, and even opponents as a boy,” Judge Toby Heytens wrote in his decision, according to the Associated Press.
It’s important to note that this ruling does not impact the West Virginia law – it only applies to the individual in this particular case, since the individual began transitioning in third grade, prior to hitting puberty. However, the ruling does potentially pave the way for other, similar cases.
UPDATE: W. Va. Girls Refuse to Compete Against Trans Athlete