DOUBLE STANDARDS IN WOMEN’S RIGHTS PERSIST IN SPORTS
We’ve entered an era where advocating for women can be labeled “hateful.”
Two student-athletes at Martin Luther King High School in Southern California, Kaitlyn and Taylor, are challenging this troubling narrative. After wearing shirts that said “Save Girls’ Sports” and “It’s Common Sense. XX ≠ XY,” the school’s administration deemed their message hateful—comparing it to swastikas. This response led the girls to file a Title IX complaint, alleging violations of their First and Fourteenth Amendment rights and protections guaranteed under Title IX.
Their actions were driven by frustration over a male athlete, who identifies as transgender, joining the women’s cross-country team and displacing Taylor from the varsity roster despite his limited participation in practices. “Why am I being displaced after working so hard?” Taylor asked, reflecting on the impact of the decision.
Kaitlyn expressed disbelief at the reaction to their shirts. “We’re not being hateful. We’re raising awareness about a situation that impacts fairness for girls in sports.”
Starling and Slavin families. (Courtesy of the families.)
The complaint highlights that the transgender athlete, who recently transferred from another high school after breaking its all-time girls’ cross-country record, has disrupted opportunities for female athletes at MLK High. The school’s decision to compare their advocacy to wearing swastikas in front of Jewish students has further fueled the controversy.
This incident is part of a broader debate about the redefinition of Title IX under the Biden-Harris administration. Originally intended to protect women, the law has been interpreted to allow biological males who identify as women to compete in women’s sports, sparking a growing backlash.
Student-athletes across the country are speaking up, inspired by figures like women’s rights advocate Riley Gaines. In another case, San Jose State athletes opposed forfeiting games to avoid competing against Blaire Fleming, a transgender athlete, showing that these frustrations extend beyond a single school or district.
As debates over fairness in women’s sports intensify, the fight for clarity and equal opportunities for biological female athletes presses forward.’
Main photo: Taylor and Kaitlyn, two cross-country athletes at a high school in Riverside, CA, sued the district for allegedly impeding on their First Amendment rights and Title IX violations. (Courtesy of Kaitlyn and Taylor.)