Roxbury Board Overturns Policy Allowing Transgender Women in Female Sports

Assemblywoman Dawn Fantasia expressed her strong opposition to the existing transgender student policy at the Roxbury Board of Education meeting that took place not too long ago. This policy currently permits males who identify as females to participate in sports that are reserved for girls.

Regarding whether or not to proceed with this policy, the board deliberated.

Fantasia, a seasoned educator and school administrator, voiced her disapproval of the state’s Policy 5756, which she believed was unfairly discriminatory toward female student-athletes. By emphasizing higher risks of injury, scholarship losses, and fewer chances, she brought attention to the negative impact that the policy has had on female athletes at the collegiate level.

The physiological distinctions that exist between biological males and girls create an unequal playing field, which in turn undermines the progress that has been gained under Title IX, as Fantasia emphasized many times.

Although Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972 opened up government support for girls’ sports, it did not define the term “sex.” This has led to ongoing arguments and future regulation modifications that are anticipated to take place during the summer. As of right now, twenty-three states have either outright prohibited or severely restricted male participation in female sports.

Bringing attention to broader concerns, Fantasia noted Riley Gaines, a former swimmer at the University of Kentucky who has filed a lawsuit against the NCAA for Title IX breaches. The lawsuit brought attention to her competition against a transgender opponent as well as related privacy concerns in locker rooms.

The decision to do away with the policy was ultimately made by the board with a vote as close as 5-4. In the meantime, Fantasia is making progress with the “Fairness in Women’s Sports Act” (A775), which seeks to legislate that student-athletes compete on teams that align with their biological sex. This action is intended to promote fairness and safety in school athletics.