RILEY GAINES: Fighting for fairness in women’s sports is risky but necessary

Beginning Nov. 27, six select Mountain West Conference women’s volleyball teams will compete for their conference championship in Las Vegas. But now, 11 players and a coach from five of those teams are testifying in federal court, speaking out about how their First Amendment and Title IX rights were violated by the conference. Talk about a high-stakes, emotional few weeks for these women…

At the center of this controversy is San Jose State University (SJSU). Despite an impressive 14-5 record (20-5, including invitationals and tournaments), seven of their victories were illegitimate because they were the result of forfeits – teams refusing to play them. Technically, all of their victories (and defeats) are illegitimate. For what? Because the SJSU women’s volleyball team includes one men’s player.

Teams like Southern Utah, Boise State, Wyoming, Utah State and Nevada have had enough. They take a stand in court, asking for the losses to SJSU to be overturned and asking that the men’s player be barred from the conference championships. Witnesses include an SJSU team captain and an SJSU assistant coach, both breaking ranks to challenge the injustice they witnessed.

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This movement, nicknamed “Project BOYcott” (emphasis on “boy”), is rooted in frustration, a sense of injustice and a refusal to compromise on the safety and equity that women have fought for for generations. The University of Nevada, Reno left no room for question as to why it conceded: “We demand our right to safety and fair competition. We refuse to participate in any game that favors injustice against female athletes.”

And that is the heart of the problem. Allowing a man to compete on a women’s team is neither safe nor fair.

It is not about hatred or animosity towards any individual or group of people. It’s about defending women’s rights to compete in safe environments where they have a chance to succeed. For decades, strong women like my grandmother have fought tirelessly to ensure girls can succeed in sports, and we owe it to them – and the next generation – not to back down now.

A man’s feelings should never trump a woman’s right to physical safety. If you think otherwise, you are not the progressive social justice warrior you think you are – you are a misogynist.

This doesn’t just happen in the Mountain West. Across the country, athletes and schools are taking similar positions. Stone Ridge Christian High just forfeited a game against SF Waldorf after discovering that its opponent’s star player was 6’2″. The school’s principal made his position clear, declaring, “God created such a way wonderful and immutable every person as man or woman” and refusing to endorse the idea that biology can be ignored.

In Massachusetts, Dighton-Rehoboth High School lost a field hockey game after a female player suffered serious injuries to her face and teeth the previous year following a shot slapped in the face by a male competitor.

In New Hampshire, two high school football teams declined to compete earlier this year for similar reasons, with one parent bluntly stating, “It’s a question of biology and the increased risk when we practice a contact sport against the opposite sex. »

The theme is clear: girls’ safety is in danger, fair competition is disappearing, and people are finally standing up.

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These young women deserve immense respect for their courage. It’s no small feat for high school and college athletes to challenge their coaches, administrators and institutions. These girls have skin in the game: they’ve sacrificed years of hard work to perfect their craft. Defending their rights is not easy, but it is worth it.

The simple solution? Remove male athletes from women’s teams. Unfortunately, this would require leaders with the courage and moral clarity to act. We’ve all seen it, it’s a shortage. Instead, the burden falls on female athletes themselves.

When I watched a 6’4″ man just a few lanes away from me at our 2022 NCAA Championships, I wasn’t ready to forfeit. Why should I have to compromise? After all, I’m the one who I worked hard for It didn’t seem right to quit and guess what? And it’s not easy. But no one ever said it would be worth it. I realized that earlier. than me, and I applaud their leadership and willingness to do the hard things.

Even though it seems like these girls are withdrawing, it’s quite the opposite. They stand for something much bigger than themselves. They champion the next generation of girls who aspire to break glass ceilings in the world of sports and beyond.

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In New Hampshire, two high school football teams declined to compete earlier this year for similar reasons, with one parent bluntly stating, “It’s a question of biology and the increased risk when we practice a contact sport against the opposite sex. »

We are witnessing a cultural shift. Cancel culture is losing its grip and people are demanding their rights to free speech and fairness. Look no further than the viral “Trump dance” spreading across college and professional sports: It’s a slight but powerful symbol of defiance, patriotism and the demise of political correctness.

Hopefully it will become easier for more teams to BOYcotton unfair matches. The courageous girls and women mentioned here are leading the way, showing us that we cannot wait for leaders to make the right decisions without being provoked. Change starts with us.

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