A trans high school sophomore has met fury online after crushing her competition at a high school track and field meet.
The teen competed in the Girls 200 Meters Varsity at the Sherwood Need for Speed Classic in Sherwood, Oregon, on Saturday.
Fotage from the meet shows her crossing the finish line as competitors follow en masse seconds later. The teen easily won that heat but finished second overall in the more than 60 girls timed in the 200meters.
The McDaniel high schooler also competed in races alongside her teammates, ranking seventh in the 4×100 relay and eighth in the 4×400 relay.
It’s the latest example of a trans athlete far outpacing girls in high school competitions – many often drawing the ire of others who claim trans athletes have an unfair advantage.
Reduxx, a feminist magazine, posted a tweet that quickly racked up millions of views, referring to the student as ‘a boy who “identifies” as a girl.’
The student revealed in a piece in her high school newspaper in May 2023 that she was pursuing hormone replacement therapy.
‘I feel like it’ll make me a lot more confident,’ said the student, at time a high school freshman.
‘Because right now I’m just going to keep on getting more and more masculine. More facial hair, stuff like that. And I don’t want that. Estrogen and other hormones and getting vocal training would make me a lot happier and more confident.’
The sophomore became the target of criticism on social media as accounts with tens of thousands of followers circulated the video of her crossing the finish line.
‘This is sick and disgusting and I want to know why his parents are allowing him to mock female athletes, why his coach is allowing him to cheat, and why these girls’ coaches and parents aren’t speaking up,’ wrote Meghan Murphy, a Canadian author and podcaster.
Female athletes also joined the conversation.
‘At some point, we have to all be willing to see this for what it is. Please stop pretending like this is anything other than telling young female athletes they don’t matter,’ wrote Carilyn Johnson, two-time member of Team USA.
April Hutchinson, a powerlifter on Team Canada, branded the student ‘a prime example of a male cheat.’
‘Beats women, then lingers around, waiting for congratulations, and constantly seeks validation. You’re a liar to yourself and everyone in that facility. Shame on all the enablers,’ she wrote.
Amelia Strickler, a shot put champion who was twice awarded the British national title, asserted, ‘Biology has to be the rule.’
Trans athletes’ participation in school sports has proven to be a contentious point, generating backlash and legal pushback.
Controversy erupted in February 2023 after a high school basketball player in Massachusetts – described as ‘more than 6 feet tall’ with ‘facial hair’ – threw a player on the opposing team to the ground.
Video of the incident, which left the other student writhing in pain, quickly spread online.
Three students on the opposing team at the Collegiate Charter School of Lowell were injured during the game, according to school officials.
The team ultimately chose to forfeit when other players expressed their fear of getting injured and not being able to compete in the coming playoffs.
Under Massachusetts state law, a player cannot be excluded from a team based on gender identity. However, 24 other states have banned transgender students from participating in sports consistent with their gender identity.
This includes Florida, where 2021 legislation from Florida Governor Ron DeSantis bars transgender females from playing on public school teams intended for athletes born as girls.
‘In Florida, girls are going to play girls sports and boys are going to play boys sports,’ DeSantis said as he signed the bill into law. ‘We’re going to make sure that that’s the reality.’
The state has enforced this ruling. In 2023, Monarch High School was fined $16,500 after the the Florida High School Athletic Association found a transgender student was playing on a female volleyball team.
Source: Trans runner demolishes competitors in 200m heat at school competition
