Megan Rapinoe, More Join WNBPA to Support Trans Youth Sports Participation

Sports icon Billie Jean King, U.S. National Women’s Soccer Team Co-Captain Megan Rapinoe, NBA stars Layshia Clarendon and Brianna Turner, and more joined a group of more than 150 athletes in women’s sports to support trans girls and women the equal opportunity to participate in sports aligning with their gender.

The athletes joined groups like the Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA), Athlete Ally, and the Women’s Sports Foundation as signatories to a brief filed by Lambda Legal, which urges the court to affirm a lower court ruling dismissing a challenge to Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference’s (CIAC) trans-inclusive policy that would allow trans athletes to participate in school sports.

The move follows a year in the U.S. with a slew of anti-LGBTQ bills and legislation across the country, many aimed at the participation of trans athletes in sports that align with their correct gender.

“There is no place in any sport for discrimination of any kind,” Billie Jean King said. “I’m proud to support all transgender athletes who simply want the access and opportunity to compete in the sport they love. The global athletic community grows stronger when we welcome and champion all athletes—including LGBTQI+ athletes.”

Back in February 2020, the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), an anti-LGBTQ organization designated by a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, challenged the CIAC’s trans-inclusive policy, but the U.S. District Court of Connecticut dismissed the lawsuit in April 2020, followed by ADF’s appeal of the dismissal.

“Trans youth around the United States have been targeted by hate groups like ADF and state legislators for discrimination,” says Omar Gonzalez-Pagan, Lambda Legal senior attorney. “This is wrong and cruel. Trans-inclusive sports participation policies benefit not just transgender athletes, but all who participate in school sports. We are thankful for the dozens of women athletes, including internationally recognized stars, trailblazers, and role models for all youth, that have joined today’s brief and come together to support trans youth’s participation in school sports.”

The Women’s National Basketball Players Association echo the same sentiment.

“At the WNBPA, we honor the diversity of identities and perspectives our members bring to the table,” says Terri Jackson, WNBPA executive director. “The players believe in the power of sport to fundamentally change the lives of all young people. As attacks across the country continue to escalate, we want to send an unequivocal message to trans and nonbinary youth in sports: we see you, we are an ally and we will fight for you.”

It’s even more significant given the continuing narrative from those pushing the anti-trans bills, that trans participation in sports is hurtful to the cis women already playing them. Athlete Ally participated in the brief filing, Director of Policy and Programs Anne Lieberman asserting, if these powers were truly this concerned about protecting women’s sports, then they would listen to active women athletes and the things they are actually asking for (mental health support, sponsorship deals, pay equity, to name a few), when they spoke with OFM.

“Athlete Ally is proud to sign on to this brief, and we are grateful to the partner organizations and athletes who join us in fighting for sport to truly be inclusive for all,” Lieberman says regarding the recent move.