A transgender middle school athlete won a shot put competition in West Virginia last week, but many female athletes refused to throw and left the field in protest.
Becky Pepper Jackson, a 13-year-old boy who calls herself a girl, won Thursday’s Harrison County Championship by a 3-foot margin. official record show.
The eighth grade athlete finished with a throw of 32 feet, 9 inches, while the second place athlete finished at 29 feet, 6 inches.
Most of the girls tried to throw, but five brave girls protested the unfairness of boys invading their category and prepared as if they were about to throw. After cleaning up, I left the field.
🚨🚨Five West Virginia middle school female athletes refused to throw the shot put against the boys Becky Pepper Jackson.
This comes just two days after the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals blocked the WV law that required athletes to compete in gender-appropriate categories.
it is… pic.twitter.com/RzMgh4jVRU
— Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) April 19, 2024
Riley Gaines, a women’s sports advocate who will compete against male swimmer Leah Thomas at the 2022 NCAA Championships, praised the middle schoolers’ attitude.
“It’s a sad day when 13- and 14-year-old girls have to grow up on the fly, but I couldn’t be more inspired and proud of these girls,” she wrote to X. The tide is turning! ”
The courageous demonstration comes just days after a federal appeals court overturned West Virginia’s transgender sports ban, ruling that Pepper Jackson could not be barred from competing against girls at her school. It was done later.
Pepper Jackson is identified The court found that the girl, who has been taking puberty-blocking drugs since third grade, should not be forced to compete against boys, according to the Associated Press.
Judge Toby Heytens said giving the boy a “choice” between quitting the sport or playing with other men was “not at all a realistic option”.
“The defendants have committed BPJ to her social transition, treatment, and all the work she has done with schools, teachers, and coaches for almost half of her life, to her teammates, coaches, and even opponents. You can’t expect to cancel by introducing yourself, kid,” Hatens wrote.
Haytens appointed by Biden And Judge Pamela A. Harris, an Obama appointee, defeated the only opponent, ruling that the law violated Title IX, which prohibits sexual discrimination in schools.
West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey (R), who argued the case on behalf of the state, said he was “deeply disappointed” by the court’s decision.
“I will continue to fight to protect Title IX. We must continue to work to protect women’s sports so that women are safe and girls have a truly fair playing field. “No,” the Attorney General said. Said, according to NBC News. “We know the law is right, and we will do everything we can to uphold it.”
