A Massachusetts high school girls field hockey team has decided to forgo an upcoming game because the opposing team has biological males on its roster, according to information obtained by the Daily Caller News Foundation.
Leadership of the Dighton-Rehoboth Area High School girls field hockey team I decided to abstain Monday's games will be played in accordance with revised district schedules in June. policy According to a press release obtained by the DCNF, the rule allows teams to choose to forfeit a game against an opponent if they have players of the opposite sex. The rule ensures that coaches and players will not be penalized by the district if they choose to forfeit for this reason.
The district's policy was revised after a member of the girls' field hockey team was seriously injured in an attack by a male player during a November 2023 game, according to a June statement. release A statement from Schools Commissioner Christopher Andrade, who said it was “not fair or competitive” for girls to compete against biological males, and the Massachusetts High School Athletic Association refused to make any policy changes. (Related: Abbott: Allowing boys to participate in women's sports would reverse 100 years of progress
Yikes. The Dighton-Rehoboth Area School District in Massachusetts announced that their girls' field hockey team will not play in their next game because the opposing girls' team has male players.
Every school in the country should adopt this policy.
Men are not allowed… pic.twitter.com/V14o4kZgVz
— TikTok Library (@libsoftiktok) September 10, 2024
“Our field hockey coaches and captains made this decision and communicated it to our opponents,” Dighton-Rehoboth Principal Bill Rooney said in a press release. “There are times when safety must be prioritized over winning, and the school district supports this decision. We understand that this forfeit will impact our chances of winning the league championship and playoff eligibility, but we hope other schools will consider following our lead in the interest of ensuring safety and promoting fair competition for female athletes.”
School district policy states that student-athletes and coaches will not face any penalties, including “loss of playing time or starting eligibility,” for refusing to play against a team with a player of the opposite sex on the roster.
The participation of biologically male women in women's sports has been a controversial issue, drawing harsh criticism from lawmakers and female athletes alike over reports of female athletes losing to male opponents or suffering serious injuries. As of April, 24 states have banned men from participating in female sports.
Dighton-Rehoboth Police Chief Bill Lunney will make the announcement about the DCNF in a press release.
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