The reports of people holding up anti-transgender signs at the North Coast Section and the state track meet, along with posting vicious and ignorant anti-trans messages on social media, are truly horrifying and an example of how sometimes athletics can bring out the absolute worst in people.
I am thankful the California Interscholastic Federation came out with a statement denouncing these cowardly and shameful acts of hate, but it is both frightening and discouraging to witness adults attacking kids, especially the ones who are among the most marginalized in our schools.
There are clearly people who feel strongly about transgender athletes who identify as a different gender than the one assigned to them at birth. More accurately, people are losing their minds over kids who were born male and are now competing as females. Before providing any commentary, there are some truths that are irrefutable.
1). California Education Code and the California Scholastic Federation bylaws permit students to compete with the gender they identify with at their respective schools. It’s the law of the land. These transgender kids competing are not breaking the law.
2). Transgender students whose gender identity is respected thrive and succeed at a significantly higher rate than those whose gender identity is not respected.
3). Transgender kids whose gender identity is not respected are at a significantly higher risk for suicide than those whose gender identity is respected.
4). Those targeting these kids, either online or at the meets, are doing damage to the transgender athletes, as well as to transgender kids throughout various communities who are witnessing and/or reading about the abuse.
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5). High school athletics have a different mission than college athletics or Olympic development athletics. High school athletics are supposed to support the mission of the school. Schools are required to provide a safe environment for kids to learn, risk, fail and, ultimately, thrive. All kids, not just kids who identify as the same gender they were born with (cisgender), are legally allowed to participate in what schools offer their students.
6). Athletes who finish in fourth place instead of third and do not qualify for the state track meet because a transgender kid finishes ahead of them are not losing out on college scholarship money. College coaches can read meet results and know what times/marks are worthy of the limited scholarship money there is for track and field. The same can be said for swimming.
If you are up in arms and think it is grossly unfair that transgender kids have access to the co-curricular activity of athletics, you can direct your opinions to your local school district, private school administration or board, your state legislature, or your section office. You will need to endure the long and challenging process of trying to get a law changed. That is what responsible, sane and rational people do. If, however, you chose to direct your venomous hatred at transgender kids, who are statistically more likely to hurt themselves, you are irrational and irresponsible. You are also willing to cause pain and suffering to kids and their family members to get your way.
The claim from anti-trans groups that they are trying to protect girls or women’s athletics by banning transgender athletes seems to surface only when a transgender athlete finishes ahead of a cisgender athlete in a competition. Specifically, it is surfacing at high-profile competitions like section or state championship meets. I have not read any instance of a transgender kid preventing a cisgender peer from competing or participating in high school athletics. There are, however, a few examples of a transgender kid preventing a cisgender athlete from winning or qualifying for an elite event (like the state meet). That is a huge distinction. The groups attacking transgender kids, on the other hand, want to take away the ability for transgender kids to compete or participate altogether, or at least in high-profile competitions. In other words, “we empathize with transgender kids and might be OK with them participating in athletics, but they better not take away our spots on the podium.”
If you are one of those people who still want to ban transgender kids from the right provided them by California law and are truly angry about it, please have the decency and self-control to direct your anger at the people who make the laws and not the kids who are trying like hell to have an enjoyable high school experience like anyone else.
Steve Sell is the athletic director and head football coach at Aragon High School and president of the Central Coast Section. His views are his own, and do not necessarily represent any other group.
Coach - do you even realize that most parents don't give a hoot about these gender nomenclatures? They want fair competition, that's all. You can throw the book at the frustrated parents and quote law provisions but that does not take away the powerless feeling that students and parents have to allow this totally confused and inequitable system to continue. The law(s) that you referred to are apparently subject to gross misinterpretation so I suggest that a statewide review of this legal and moral structure be placed on a ballot.
How about separate competition where altered athletes would compete against each other? Speaking of competition, let's have some choice in education, We should be able to spend our education dollar where we want.
I would tend to agree with you on the education part but who's education dollar are you spending? If it is your own, go for it. If it is my tax dollar I want a say in it.
Willallen -- I thought the same thing!...... ("How about separate competition where altered athletes would compete against each other?) Great solution!
Strong words, Mr. Sell, “…to witness adults attacking kids…” If we read further, it doesn’t sound like adults are physically attacking kids, just making a protest you don’t agree with, although it is their right. Some would say that with this letter, you’re attacking adults who don’t agree with you, and that is your right.
In regards to the California Interscholastic Federation, don’t they also have a Mission Statement regarding, “Character – Trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring and good citizenship.”? How many of those character traits are present when a biological male is competing against a biological female? Not many. Debatably, none. In your role as an athletic director and head football coach, are you no longer taking this Mission statement into account? As willallen suggested, perhaps transgender athletes should have separate competitions where they can honor the above CIF Mission Statement. Else, we may as well have adults identifying as high school teens and competing in these same meets. Meanwhile, the equality that women have fought for gets tossed by the wayside.
There were no attacks. The protesters (mostly out lesbians) held signs saying "protect female sports" and politely left when asked to.) This is just one of the many outright lies in this opinion piece. Sad that this coach has such disdain for girls and women competing fairly in athletics.
Can you provide an example of these supposedly hateful attacks? Holding a banner saying "protect female sports" is not hateful, nor is it an attack on kids. And let's be honest here, this isn't about preventing anyone from competing (biological boys can compete with the boys), it is about fairness for girls and women. Male puberty provides advantages to males vs. females in athletics, that is why we have separate categories in sports for sex (not "gender identity") We don't see trans "boys" (bio females) fighting to compete in male sports categories, why do you think that is? Your disdain for girls and women when it comes to fairness in athletics is offensive.
Most of the comments locally and nationally are harping on trans youth boys wanting to play on/against girls teams. How about putting the shoe on the other foot. What about girls that think they are boys? Should they be banned from playing against the boys and kicking their rear end if they are better than the boys or would that be too embarrassing?
I, for one, cannot imagine a teenager dealing with all the social stigma (on display in these comments), peer judgement, and other difficulties that come with being transgender just to get an athletic advantage. It. Simply. Does. Not. Happen.
Sorry John - as the grandfather of three girls, whose mothers were quite athletic, I fear for the message that we give them as they progress. They are now promising athletes in tennis and volley ball. What will their future be like unlike the ones their mothers enjoyed? Nothing but avoidable and woke conflicts. As that what we want for our children? It is all a fake and social media inspired development that demands strong parental guidance. I am not falling for it and most of us should not.
"Sell said. “Right out of college, I was working as a salesman..." https://aragonoutlook.org/2019/04/aragon-alumni-in-sports-part-iv-steve-sell/
Well - as his name implies - he has never stopped being a salesman. But what he is peddling now is dangerous. There is no universe where a sane person can support biological men competing against girls....this could be the most divisive topic in our current social discourse....and that is beyond troubling....that adults believe allowing boys to compete against girls in sports is acceptable....so long as they "believe" they are a girl. Mr. Sell should not hold his position as AD in my opinion - he is abdicating his duty to protect girls. All real men strive to protect girls and women from harm. Where is Frank Firpo when you need him - that was a great man - teacher and AD. Im sure Mr. Sell knew him well. RIP
Anybody saying that biological men dont have an advantage against girls have obviously never played high level sports - just like Mr. Sell. To give a few examples - I was ranked top 40 in California in tennis and wasnt nearly as dedicated as I should have been - and I could wake up any day and beat my friend who was a top 5 female in California. My Romanian coach who was ranked like 1500 or something in the ATP beat a top 10 woman (i wont say her name) 0-1 when she visited our academy. One of my best friends in high school was the captain of the female soccer team and got a scholarship to play in college....when she came to play with the boys we all knew to tone it down...even though she was top tier in female sports...she couldnt play with the boys and succeed....thats just how it goes.....I was all county in soccer and played some ODP but i wasnt top tier....the bottom line is that females should have their space in sport. This is non debatable. Men beat women in every sport at a high level - and if you disagree you are not a real athlete. So stop it. Women should be protected from men who want to take that space for themselves.Im incredulous that this is an actual debate amongst seemingly sane adults. This is where we are in California - where insane people can hold positions of power over our children. I really dont know what else to say...it makes sense he is the president of CCS.This is what they want to foist on us. Its all political. He does not care about our children - only an agenda. Mr. Sell seems like hes really got an axe to grind.
Mr. Little Foot - Phew - lots you wrote to comment on but you have one major convoluted statement - depending on what your intent was. You wrote:
Anybody saying that biological men dont have an advantage against girls have obviously never played high level sports - * just like Mr. Sell.*
Your sentence construction would lead a person new to the dance that you mean Mr. Sell - never played HS and I believe almost everybody knows that is false.
Second, if anybody appears to have an axe to grind, it appears to be you. Being a HS athletic director, former player, current head football coach and parent - I would easily come to the conclusion that Steve's Life Experiences, especially in the Athletic arena - far surpass most of us.
Your playing experiences with members of the opposite gender happened a long time ago.
Things change.
In some inner city neighborhoods there are young girls playing hoops with their brothers and nephews and uncles where talent as a player is quite the thing to behold.
High school sports is NOT high level sports. You need to enter the state rankings outside of school in your respective sport - or have played college or semipro to make that claim. To my knowledge, Mr. Sell has done none of those and even he makes this distinction himself. "There are, however, a few examples of a transgender kid preventing a cisgender athlete from winning or qualifying for an elite event (like the state meet). That is a huge distinction" Your interpretation was convoluted - not my statement. He likes to pick and chose what that distinction means when it suits him.
And yes - I got an axe to grind with anybody abdicating their duties to protect girls and the spaces that have always existed exclusively for them - especially a person of authority on a contrived moral crusade. This cult of transgenderism is destroying the innocence of young girls by foisting problems in sports on them that do not belong to them. He is prioritizing a fraction of a fraction over all female athletes. If he was standing on solid ground he wouldnt have to gaslight folks claiming adults are attacking kids and challenging concerned parents to take it up with the law if they got a problem. This doesnt sound like an AD who wants to communicate properly with everyone. It sounds like a veiled threat. Hes biased - irrational - and irresponsible. Not concerned at all about how this can damage young girls. The man has tunnel vision.
Nothing has changed. Men are still men and women are still women - and men will always overwhelmingly beat women in every sport at a high level. I have never played basketball - but I know what would happen if the WNBA all star team played any random D1 college team or even a nationally ranked AAU team. The same thing that happened with the USWNT played the under 15 team from FC Dallas academy...
Decision from WA (international sports governing body) on this subject-
—
“Decisions are always difficult when they involve conflicting needs and rights between different groups, but we continue to take the view that we must maintain fairness for female athletes above all other considerations,” World Athletics president Sebastian Coe said in a statement.
“We will be guided in this by the science around physical performance and male advantage which will inevitably develop over the coming years. As more evidence becomes available, we will review our position, but we believe the integrity of the female category in athletics is paramount.”
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(23) comments
Thank you! Your voice is so important in this discussion, especially given your role in HS athletics.
Coach - do you even realize that most parents don't give a hoot about these gender nomenclatures? They want fair competition, that's all. You can throw the book at the frustrated parents and quote law provisions but that does not take away the powerless feeling that students and parents have to allow this totally confused and inequitable system to continue. The law(s) that you referred to are apparently subject to gross misinterpretation so I suggest that a statewide review of this legal and moral structure be placed on a ballot.
How about separate competition where altered athletes would compete against each other? Speaking of competition, let's have some choice in education, We should be able to spend our education dollar where we want.
I would tend to agree with you on the education part but who's education dollar are you spending? If it is your own, go for it. If it is my tax dollar I want a say in it.
Education dollar is what's paid on your property tax for the local school district. You should be able to spend it at the school of choice.
Willallen -- I thought the same thing!...... ("How about separate competition where altered athletes would compete against each other?) Great solution!
Thank you for supporting a safe atmosphere where all our kids can stretch themselves to their best!
Thank you.
Strong words, Mr. Sell, “…to witness adults attacking kids…” If we read further, it doesn’t sound like adults are physically attacking kids, just making a protest you don’t agree with, although it is their right. Some would say that with this letter, you’re attacking adults who don’t agree with you, and that is your right.
In regards to the California Interscholastic Federation, don’t they also have a Mission Statement regarding, “Character – Trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring and good citizenship.”? How many of those character traits are present when a biological male is competing against a biological female? Not many. Debatably, none. In your role as an athletic director and head football coach, are you no longer taking this Mission statement into account? As willallen suggested, perhaps transgender athletes should have separate competitions where they can honor the above CIF Mission Statement. Else, we may as well have adults identifying as high school teens and competing in these same meets. Meanwhile, the equality that women have fought for gets tossed by the wayside.
There were no attacks. The protesters (mostly out lesbians) held signs saying "protect female sports" and politely left when asked to.) This is just one of the many outright lies in this opinion piece. Sad that this coach has such disdain for girls and women competing fairly in athletics.
Can you provide an example of these supposedly hateful attacks? Holding a banner saying "protect female sports" is not hateful, nor is it an attack on kids. And let's be honest here, this isn't about preventing anyone from competing (biological boys can compete with the boys), it is about fairness for girls and women. Male puberty provides advantages to males vs. females in athletics, that is why we have separate categories in sports for sex (not "gender identity") We don't see trans "boys" (bio females) fighting to compete in male sports categories, why do you think that is? Your disdain for girls and women when it comes to fairness in athletics is offensive.
Most of the comments locally and nationally are harping on trans youth boys wanting to play on/against girls teams. How about putting the shoe on the other foot. What about girls that think they are boys? Should they be banned from playing against the boys and kicking their rear end if they are better than the boys or would that be too embarrassing?
Thanks for the passionate defense of kids, coach!
He is defending some kids and ignoring or insulting all of the others. You call that coaching or pontificating?
Steve Sell has always been one of the good ones.
I, for one, cannot imagine a teenager dealing with all the social stigma (on display in these comments), peer judgement, and other difficulties that come with being transgender just to get an athletic advantage. It. Simply. Does. Not. Happen.
Sorry John - as the grandfather of three girls, whose mothers were quite athletic, I fear for the message that we give them as they progress. They are now promising athletes in tennis and volley ball. What will their future be like unlike the ones their mothers enjoyed? Nothing but avoidable and woke conflicts. As that what we want for our children? It is all a fake and social media inspired development that demands strong parental guidance. I am not falling for it and most of us should not.
No one is claiming that is happening. This is about fairness in female sports.
"Sell said. “Right out of college, I was working as a salesman..." https://aragonoutlook.org/2019/04/aragon-alumni-in-sports-part-iv-steve-sell/
Well - as his name implies - he has never stopped being a salesman. But what he is peddling now is dangerous. There is no universe where a sane person can support biological men competing against girls....this could be the most divisive topic in our current social discourse....and that is beyond troubling....that adults believe allowing boys to compete against girls in sports is acceptable....so long as they "believe" they are a girl. Mr. Sell should not hold his position as AD in my opinion - he is abdicating his duty to protect girls. All real men strive to protect girls and women from harm. Where is Frank Firpo when you need him - that was a great man - teacher and AD. Im sure Mr. Sell knew him well. RIP
Anybody saying that biological men dont have an advantage against girls have obviously never played high level sports - just like Mr. Sell. To give a few examples - I was ranked top 40 in California in tennis and wasnt nearly as dedicated as I should have been - and I could wake up any day and beat my friend who was a top 5 female in California. My Romanian coach who was ranked like 1500 or something in the ATP beat a top 10 woman (i wont say her name) 0-1 when she visited our academy. One of my best friends in high school was the captain of the female soccer team and got a scholarship to play in college....when she came to play with the boys we all knew to tone it down...even though she was top tier in female sports...she couldnt play with the boys and succeed....thats just how it goes.....I was all county in soccer and played some ODP but i wasnt top tier....the bottom line is that females should have their space in sport. This is non debatable. Men beat women in every sport at a high level - and if you disagree you are not a real athlete. So stop it. Women should be protected from men who want to take that space for themselves.Im incredulous that this is an actual debate amongst seemingly sane adults. This is where we are in California - where insane people can hold positions of power over our children. I really dont know what else to say...it makes sense he is the president of CCS.This is what they want to foist on us. Its all political. He does not care about our children - only an agenda. Mr. Sell seems like hes really got an axe to grind.
Mr. Little Foot - Phew - lots you wrote to comment on but you have one major convoluted statement - depending on what your intent was. You wrote:
Anybody saying that biological men dont have an advantage against girls have obviously never played high level sports - * just like Mr. Sell.*
Your sentence construction would lead a person new to the dance that you mean Mr. Sell - never played HS and I believe almost everybody knows that is false.
Second, if anybody appears to have an axe to grind, it appears to be you. Being a HS athletic director, former player, current head football coach and parent - I would easily come to the conclusion that Steve's Life Experiences, especially in the Athletic arena - far surpass most of us.
Your playing experiences with members of the opposite gender happened a long time ago.
Things change.
In some inner city neighborhoods there are young girls playing hoops with their brothers and nephews and uncles where talent as a player is quite the thing to behold.
Keep your axe sharp. [thumbup]
High school sports is NOT high level sports. You need to enter the state rankings outside of school in your respective sport - or have played college or semipro to make that claim. To my knowledge, Mr. Sell has done none of those and even he makes this distinction himself. "There are, however, a few examples of a transgender kid preventing a cisgender athlete from winning or qualifying for an elite event (like the state meet). That is a huge distinction" Your interpretation was convoluted - not my statement. He likes to pick and chose what that distinction means when it suits him.
And yes - I got an axe to grind with anybody abdicating their duties to protect girls and the spaces that have always existed exclusively for them - especially a person of authority on a contrived moral crusade. This cult of transgenderism is destroying the innocence of young girls by foisting problems in sports on them that do not belong to them. He is prioritizing a fraction of a fraction over all female athletes. If he was standing on solid ground he wouldnt have to gaslight folks claiming adults are attacking kids and challenging concerned parents to take it up with the law if they got a problem. This doesnt sound like an AD who wants to communicate properly with everyone. It sounds like a veiled threat. Hes biased - irrational - and irresponsible. Not concerned at all about how this can damage young girls. The man has tunnel vision.
Nothing has changed. Men are still men and women are still women - and men will always overwhelmingly beat women in every sport at a high level. I have never played basketball - but I know what would happen if the WNBA all star team played any random D1 college team or even a nationally ranked AAU team. The same thing that happened with the USWNT played the under 15 team from FC Dallas academy...
Decision from WA (international sports governing body) on this subject-
—
“Decisions are always difficult when they involve conflicting needs and rights between different groups, but we continue to take the view that we must maintain fairness for female athletes above all other considerations,” World Athletics president Sebastian Coe said in a statement.
“We will be guided in this by the science around physical performance and male advantage which will inevitably develop over the coming years. As more evidence becomes available, we will review our position, but we believe the integrity of the female category in athletics is paramount.”
—
Link: https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2023/03/23/sport/world-athletics-transgender-ruling-spt-intl/index.html
Thanks Mr. Sell. High school athletes should not be subjected to hateful signs at their meets, or to hateful rhetoric on social media.
The protestors were not holding hateful signs. Can you honestly tell us what's hateful about "keep female sports female"?
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