Reflections on Women’s Sports and Gender Policies
It’s almost surreal to acknowledge that we’re in this ongoing struggle.
I spent 28 years competing on the Ladies Professional Golf Association Tour. That journey was filled with questions, especially after enduring seven lengthy and often frustrating seasons before finally clinching my first victory. Reflecting on that time, I realize how much the sport has shaped my identity. The World Golf Hall of Fame and LPGA Hall of Fame have recognized my efforts, but they don’t tell the whole story. Honestly, navigating the complexities of sports, any sport, can be incredibly challenging.
In my wildest dreams, I never envisioned being able to compete with elite male athletes.
Women’s Sports Are For Women
The LPGA has an impressive history; it’s been around for 75 years. Yet, with stringent entry requirements, the Hall of Fame comprises only 35 members. In 2024, Lydia Ko will be the latest inductee. To give you some context, she has captured 23 titles on the LPGA, secured three major championships, and even won three Olympic medals. I feel truly humbled to be part of such an esteemed group.
However, I can’t help but laugh when I think about the possibility of competing in a PGA Tour event. Honestly, I can’t see myself smiling at such an absurd notion.
Some LPGA players have tried entering the men’s professional golf tournaments. I think of Babe Didrikson Zaharias, who was not only an Olympic medalist in track and field but also helped found the LPGA. She participated in a men’s event once. Annika Sorenstam, who undoubtedly ranks as one of the greatest players with 72 LPGA victories, also made an attempt. Even younger talents like Michelle Wie West, who showcased her skills in a PGA tournament in Hawaii, and Brittany Lincicome and Lexi Thompson, who received sponsor invitations to compete against men, found the odds stacked against them. It’s sobering to note that the best female golfers have yet to make a cut at those events.
Conversely, I believe if a struggling male player claimed to be female and joined the LPGA, he would easily rewrite the record books.
Fortunately, late last year, a significant milestone was reached when professional golfers established a gender policy designed to protect women’s golf for women.
The Struggle Is Ongoing
The fight is far from over. There are policies being introduced that withdraw federal funds from schools and states permitting women to compete alongside men. As a result, countless women face harassment or intimidation regarding the achievements they’ve worked so hard for.
In recent weeks, men identifying as female have won titles in athletics and swimming, raising questions about the authenticity of those competitions, especially when female athletes are left to compete against biological males.
It’s disheartening to witness such scenarios, whether it’s a transgender female volleyball player or the peculiar situation involving two Olympic boxers, where a biological male claims a victory.
I was genuinely disappointed while listening to statements from my representatives in Pennsylvania discussing laws aimed at saving women’s sports—laws that fundamentally uphold the notion of fairness in female athletics. Senator Lindsay Williams claimed that she wanted every girl to understand that their potential rivals, the boys, may not possess an insurmountable advantage given their physical strength.
That remark struck me as utterly absurd, leading me to spend considerable time verifying it wasn’t a parody.
Yet, Williams continued with her assertions, insisting:
I want every girl to understand that women are capable of thriving in sports against males. This bill’s principle is flawed, suggesting that women are inherently less capable and that girls will always be at a disadvantage when competing with boys. But girls prove that they can compete effectively every single day.
Understanding Biological Differences
When I attended Furman University in the mid-1970s as an athlete in three different sports—field hockey in the fall, basketball during winter, and golf in spring—I never believed I could compete on equal footing with male athletes. Sure, I could hold my own against many guys on the golf course, but at the elite levels, the biological differences are undeniable.
It gives me hope to see brave women, like Riley Gaines and former gymnast Jennifer Say, voicing their concerns on this topic. The number of women speaking out is steadily rising. From disc golf to weightlifting, women are standing firm, insisting that the narrative suggesting a woman needs to apologize for occupation in women’s spaces is simply not right. We are proclaiming, together, that women’s sports should be safeguarded for women.
I feel honored to stand with those advocating for this essential stance. Many of us have fought hard to establish a space for ourselves in sports, and abandoning that hard-won ground is not an option. This moment—and the mission it represents—is too important to simply observe from the sidelines.
