In a recent development, a high school athlete was booed after she won a race in an Oregon sports event. Aayden Gallagher, a transgender woman, faced an unpleasant reaction to winning gold in the 200-meter finals on May 19, 2024, taking home a state championship.
When the game started, she went to a very slow start before changing the pace of the event and winning the race in an unchallenged manner. However, her victory was met with jeers that rained down on her from the stand by the audience. Gallagher won the race by completing it in 23.82 seconds.
Upon crossing the finish line, family members of her competitors did not hesitate to show their displeasure with her victory. Additionally, during the competition, she was a victim of constant harassment. All of which climaxed when she climbed the podium during the award presentation.
She came in second in the 200-meter preliminary race, crossing the finish line a mere 0.17 seconds after the winner. She also came in second in the 400-meter race, losing by 0.15 seconds.
The Oregon School Activities Association (OSAA) has a policy that allows transgender students to compete in the gender category. However, the policy has been heavily criticized and overwhelmed with negative responses.
To give its students equality, the association allows students to participate in any sports category as long as it matches their gender identity. According to the policy, once a student has informed the school of their desired gender affirmations, they will register with their choice.
Rules like this one help uphold eligibility equality and expand the number of students who can participate in interscholastic activities. They also foster harmony and fair competition among member schools.
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After the event, Gallagher’s victory quickly gained online attention on social media. Most of the comments, which were negative, criticized her for competing in the girls’ section, claiming that men are born stronger and quicker than women. Others insulted the high school student with transphobic remarks.
Former NCAA swimmer Riley Gaines was the main critic of the situation. Gaines has always been vocal about her negative opinion of transgender athletes. She took to social media to express her dissatisfaction with the incident. She mocked the competition by saying that after finishing second in the 400 meters, male competitor Aayden Gallagher won the women’s 200-meter state title in Oregon.
Famously, Gaines tied for fifth place in the NCAA women’s division with Lia Thomas, the first openly transgender champion. This spurred Gaines to oppose transgender athletes competing in the women’s division publicly.
ALSO READ: Former Olympic Swimmer Sharron Davies Slams Transgender Athlete for Competing in Women’s Sports
Gaines has discussed transgender athletes on X before. This is not the first time. Gaines proposed that darts player Deta Hedman receive payment for her choice to withdraw from a Denmark Open quarterfinal match against transgender player Noe-Lynn van Leuven.
In other news, the NAIA was the first collegiate athletic association to forbid transgender athletes from participating in women’s sports. Students who are biologically female and have not had hormone therapy are the only ones who may compete against women.
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