A girls’ high school basketball team in Vermont made a big decision last week when they opted out of playing in their biggest game of the year.
Mid Vermont Christian School Boys and Girls Baskteball teams
The institution, Mid-Vermont Christian School forfeited their first-round state tournament game against Long Trail because the team didn’t believe it was fair to play against a transgender athlete. They explained that their decision not to compete was based on concerns for player safety and fairness.
Vermont state law permits transgender females to play in girls’ sporting leagues and prohibits discrimination based on gender identity.
Mid Vermont Christian School Girls Varsity Basketball team faces off against Poultney High School via Poultney HighSchool YouTube
“We believe playing against an opponent with a biological male jeopardizes the fairness of the game and the safety of our players,” a statement from MVCS head of school Vicky Fogg said. “Allowing biological males to participate in women’s sports sets a bad precedent for the future of women’s sports in general.”
The state acknowledged the school’s decision and thus, their self-elimination from the postseason proceedings.
“I have received calls (from schools) asking for best practices and how to go forward knowing they were going to play a team with a transgender female on it,” Lauren Thomas, an assistant executive director for the Vermont Principals’ Association said, confirming the team’s pullout and forfeit. “We just supported our stance and our best practices through our inclusivity statement.”
Mid Vermont Christian School Girls Varsity Basketball team faces off against Poultney High School via Poultney HighSchool YouTube
Vermont’s policy regarding transgender athletes has led to other controversies recently.
In October, a middle school soccer coach from Randolph Union High School was suspended after he allegedly ‘misgendered’ a trans student. This action came in the course of him defending his daughter, who said she was uncomfortable with the individual being in the girls’ locker room.
Also that month, administrators at the school banned members of the girls’ volleyball team after they also objected to sharing it with a fellow student who is biologically male.
That situation lit a fire of controversy surrounding the Randolph school, which lies in a community with a population of fewer than 5,000 people. There were several verbal taunts exchanged, some even leading to threats of violence.
While the policy regarding transgender athletes varies on the state level in high school, it has a uniform policy at the next level.
Current NCAA rules state that transgender women are allowed to participate in women’s sports after undergoing one year of testosterone suppression.
During an April 2021 survey in the United States, 17 percent of male respondents and 24 percent of female respondents strongly supported allowing transgender girls to compete against other female athletes at the high school level.
NEXT: Jesus ‘Gets Us’ Ad Campaign Prominently Featured During Super Bowl LVII