The California Interscholastic Federation is walking a philosophical/eligibility tightrope. The state’s governing body for high school athletics apparently wants to have it both ways. It’s ugly.
On one hand, its touted overall policies and evolving practices stress fairness, competitive balance and equal sporting opportunities for all involved.
On the other hand, it permits biological teen boys to compete against biological teen girls. This is occurring because some biological boys indicate that they identify as girls.
Science is clear: As young people grow toward maturity, males become bigger, faster and stronger than females.
Pat Winslow Connolly could not agree more. For her (and others of an objective like mind), there is no debate on the subject when it comes to the pervasive influence of simple and irrefutable biology.
Few females with Peninsula roots have more credibility on this matter than Connolly. A three-time U.S. track and field Olympian and national record holder on several occasions dating all the way back to the early1960s during her teen years at Capuchino High School in San Bruno. She is also a former women’s national championship track and field head coach at UCLA.
An early and outspoken supporter of Title IX, the half-century-old federal legislation that effectively mandates equal sporting opportunities for girls and women, Connolly makes no bones about her opposition to biological boys/men competing against biological girls/women.
“It’s absurd,” she stated emphatically last week during a meeting of the San Mateo Rotary Club. “It’s politically correct and stupid (making allowances) by gender and not by (actual) sex …We don’t need men in our competitions.”
She backed up her case by using statistics that indicated in every track and field category except one (the marathon), biological teen males recorded better times and distances than biological adult females.
For Connolly, the numbers could not be more blatant and revealing. Essentially, they speak for themselves. As she put it, “it is unfair to let transexual males compete with females no matter what state of transition they (the males) may be in.”
The CIF’s current dictates place biological teen females at a distinct disadvantage, even more concerning when championships, playoff berths or individual/team honors are involved.
Supporters of girls and women have fought for decades to guarantee a level playing field for female athletes. Now, the CIF’s curious posture tosses those gains out the window in one very significant respect: biologically confirmed sex.
It’s a head-scratcher. Unfortunately, some opponents of the CIF regulations tend to focus too much attention on the biological teen males who want to compete in female athletic events.
That’s missing the point. The biological teen boys, in truth, aren’t the real problem. Any strong argument against the CIF’s policies should be directed at the organization itself. It is that entity that has created the debate — and the divisive issues involved — in the first place.
THE DEBATE IS NOW IN N.Y. COURT: The contentious debate involving biological teen boys competing against biological teen girls is not confined to California.
Four high school female track and field athletes in Connecticut are seeking a legal remedy to assure that girls’ sports are exclusively for their biological gender. Their case is currently being heard in a federal appeals court in New York.
For some perspective, 21 of the country’s 50 states already have rules forbidding biological boys from competing against biological girls. Observers speculate that the Connecticut case eventually may wind up before the U.S. Supreme Court.
JANE NORTHROP PASSES AWAY: Sorry to learn of the passing of Jane Northrop, a former editor/reporter with the Pacifica Tribune earlier this month. She was a dedicated and respected fixture at the weekly coastside publication for 28 years. She retired last year. She was always a go-to source for any and all answers and perspective involving her coastal town.
HALL OF FAME EVENT SOLD OUT: The June 22 Peninsula Sports Hall of Fame induction event at the San Mateo County History Museum in Redwood City has been sold out. The Hall of Fame, located at the museum, debuted in 1989. Since then, 300 individuals have been included on that list of local luminaries.
Email: johnhorganmedia@gmail.com.
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(16) comments
Thank you John for this common sense piece. Also appreciate Pat Connolly weighing in, as until now the voices of women and girl athletes have been missing from this debate. Most regular people understand that male puberty confers a huge athletic advantage, and also understand the importance of title IX, which is based on sex, not "gender identity." But watch out, the Sell family will call you "transphobic" for daring to use the term "biological boys."
Steve Sell is a well-respected and dedicated coach, athletic director and longtime advocate for student-athletes of all ages and abilities. His views on this contentious issue are not off-the-cuff. He is thoughtful, honest and reasonable. We happen to disagree on this particular subject. Which is OK. None of this is personal.
I appreciate that you are trying to see the good in him, but this issue is indeed personal for all those who have been accused of transphobia (by the Sells) simply for standing up for the rights of women and girls. Accusations of bigotry should not be flung around without serious thought.
Agree, also VERY personal for girls and women. That is why Pat Connolly's perspective is so important here. In the weeks of letters and DJ articles on this subject, I believe this was the first time a female athlete's perspective was included. (I, a mediocre to decent HS swimmer may not count!)
Dierdre and Michelle
I agree with your position on this issue. However, I have had a different experience with Steve Sells. The day his op-ed piece was published, I wrote directly to him to express my viewpoint. He wrote back acknowledging there are differences of opinion on the trans athlete topic. It was a polite and civil exchange. While our opinions did not change, I think we understood each other a little better. I came away from that conversation thinking there is a way to articulate different points of view in a positive manner.
It was personal when his son called me that and other names because my prior published letter used the term "biological boys". I don't believe for a second that the older Sell's article was organic, he got the trans activist talking points from his son, a local activist.
Sorry to belabor the point but I just reread Justin Sell's response to my letter. In addition to "transphobic", he called me "vicious and dangerous", "ignorant and heartless" because I believe biology is real. If you Mr. Horgan have escaped these kind of "not personal" attacks even though your language and position is very similar to mine, you might want to ask yourself why that is.
Common tactic used now days to silence people with different opinions.
Similar theme recently used by San Mateo County’s supe Canepa and Slocum on sanctuary for illegals after high severity crimes.
Good news- many readers are now more aware that asking for fairness or safety is not being anti-anyone. People resorting to cheap labels need to be called out.
And thank you, MichKosk, for continuing to educate people on why biological boys/men should not be competing against biological girls/women. Perhaps we’re no longer surrounded by “regular people.” You have to wonder why some folks are not in favor of fair competition – maybe they’d also prefer to return to the days when women weren’t allowed to vote.
Honestly would love to go by a local girls soccer match, swim meet, softball game and ask the parents' perspective. While many are scared to speak out (which is the goal of the name-callers, shutting down speech), I would bet that the VAST majority agree that it is unfair for biological boys past puberty to compete against girls.
Not just unfair but also preposterous. Who in his or her right mind would think that this is normal? Are these boys being egged on by social media or their parents because they can't compete with other boys? Why don't we see the opposite, as in girls demanding to play in boys' sports? It would send a message to the misguided coach that with girls on his football team he will never win a game again. Go for it, girls!
Hi, Dirk
I read some earlier commentary on this subject in the DJ that took umbrage to the idea that trans athletes competing in girls sports as a fad. Folks who disagree that it is a fad are certainly entitled to that opinion. However, I did not see any push back against the notion this controversy is being whipped up as a tactic to encourage divisiveness. Gallup reported last month that nearly 70% of Americans believed trans athletes should only be allowed to play on sports teams that correspond to their birth gender. Yet, persons articulating that point of view are labeled bigoted and transphobic by progressives. When Mark Simon wrote about this topic recently, readers from both sides of the political aisle favored girls only in girls sports. Some other examples of progressive divisiveness... over 70% of Americans want a secure border... progressives call them bigoted and xenophobic. Over 70% of Americans think we should have voter ID laws... progressives consider those Americans to be racist. It almost appears that our progressive comrades believe only one opinion... theirs... is valid.
Hello, Terence... welcome back.
Re: biological males not competing against girls... years ago, I was an assistant high school football coach. One of my female students was an excellent student and soccer player. She would be great kicking PATs, and I asked her if she would like to join the football team. She liked the idea but said I would have to ask her mother. Fair enough. I got a chance to speak with mom and asked her about her daughter playing football. The mother responded simply by asking me if I could guarantee her daughter would not get injured. Mom knew her daughter could get injured playing soccer but the thought of her daughter entering a game against bigger, faster, and stronger opponents who would use those advantages against her daughter was just too risky. She politely declined.
On that same note, one obvious solution for biological boys who want to compete in competitive athletic events as girls: Participate in male sports activities as a girl. No problem. No worries. No hard feelings.
How about separate games for just trans?
Willallen - Agree! Common sense.
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