Wisconsin parents outraged over decision allowing transgender students to join girls' sports team

Fox 11 Online

Despite a flood of complaints about injuries and the uncomfortable issue of shared locker rooms, officials from the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association have shockingly informed concerned parents and student athletes that a biological male be permitted to compete in the upcoming school among girls.

The decision has ignited a fierce debate across the state, with many questioning the sensibility and safety of this controversial move.

“They're just not used to the ball coming at them that hard,” said concerned parent Ryan Gusick,  who added that girls were quitting due to concerns of injury and safety, Blaze media reports.

Ben Krumholtz from WLUK in Green Bay said that "in summer practices and games, the parents say girls are leaving with welts and bruises they've never received before."

“A lot of these girls are specifically quitting this team because they're concerned for their safety,” Gusick added, while a concerned mother said that the male student has "the most power" out of all of the other participants.

Wisconsin parents voice concerns over transgender student potentially joining girls' sports team, say athletes are quitting out of fear for safety. (via @fox11news)https://t.co/n7kjwP8M3y

— Crisis in the Classroom (@CITClassroom) August 10, 2023

The WIAA policy states its goals are "equity, physical safety, and competitive equity."

"A student's member school will be the point of contact for determining the student's eligibility to participate in WIAA sponsored interscholastic athletics," the policy continues.

"A male-to-female transgender student must have one calendar year of medically documented testosterone suppression therapy to be eligible to participate on a female team."

However, following a private meeting with parents and students, the WIAA maintained its initial policy. They even allegedly advised students that if they have problems with the decision, they should pursue counseling.

“We were hoping to hear a little bit more of both sides of the compass, but it was really one-sided: this is the WIAA, this is Title IX, if the girls have issues they can find counseling and life goes on,” Gusick said after the meeting.

Regarding the worries about locker rooms and young girls having to change alongside the boy, the district isn't budging on it's existing policy.

In a statement to Fox 11, the district said:

It works with the transgender students to determine what they would prefer. However, they have a legal right to use the locker room. If they choose to use the locker room they gender identify with, students who may have concerns the District will work with to provide supports.

A number of parents expressed that their daughters will not be trying out because of their concerns. Concurrently, two female community members, without specifying whether they have children, voiced their support for the boy who identifies as a girl.

Kathy Heath said, "We just wanted it to be out there that there are other students and athletes that are in support of her."

Gusick further stated that the girls are growing weary, saying they are "kind of fed up hearing that your safety is our top concern from all these people and they're really doing nothing about it."