Oregon Girls Protest Trans Athletes at State Championships

Last weekend, two high school athletes in Oregon made headlines after protesting the participation of transgender athletes in their competitions. Reese Edcard from Sherwood High and Alexa Anderson from Tigard High stepped onto the podium, expressing their concerns regarding trans contestants from Ida B. Wells High School.

After the girls descended from the podium, officials approached and seemingly urged them to leave. Edcard described the encounter, stating, “We stepped onto the podium in protest. The official was like, ‘Hey, move over there, and if you don’t participate, you’ll be out of the picture.'”

Both athletes finished strong, with Edcard taking fourth in the high jump and Anderson finishing third, each outperforming a transgender athlete who ended up in fifth place.

Anderson mentioned that this was her first public protest against the inclusion of men in girls’ sports, although she has been a supporter of the cause for some time, engaging with others online. She expressed concern about the implications for female athletes, noting, “It’s unfair because biological men competing against women take away opportunities from hard-working girls.” She illustrated her point, referencing how this impacts even those who might typically finish further down in the standings.

Looking ahead, Oregon might face scrutiny related to its policies on transgender participation in sports, especially as the American First Policy Institute has filed a Title IX complaint with the Department of Education regarding these practices.