On Tuesday, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, a bill that seeks to amend Title IX by defining sex as “based solely on a person’s reproductive biology and genetics at birth.” The bill proposes that schools allowing athletes who are assigned male at birth to compete in women’s sports risk losing federal funding. The bill passed with a vote of 218 in favor, including two Democrats from Texas and all House Republicans. It now heads to the Senate, where it was not picked up last term, but may face a higher chance of passage due to recent leadership changes.
The issue of transgender athletes is no stranger to Roanoke College. The college has been at the center of national conversations over the past year, largely surrounding the women’s swim team. Last fall, some members of the team gained national attention after speaking publicly about their opposition to a transgender member of the team wishing to compete alongside them. A group of seven swimmers attended a press conference and later stood alongside Donald Trump at a rally, where they voiced their concerns.
These athletes are also part of a lawsuit against the NCAA, filed by the Independent Council on Women’s Sports (ICONS), challenging the inclusion of transgender competitors in women’s sports. These seven members of the team have continued to speak out on the issue through interviews and press conferences across the country.
However, the controversy has divided the swim team. While this vocal group has made its stance clear, other members of the women’s swim team feel increasingly marginalized. Many of those not aligned with the outspoken group have expressed frustration with how the issue is being handled, and some have even decided to leave the team, or in some cases, the college altogether.
Like much of the nation, the team is divided on this complex issue, leaving many feeling voiceless in the debate. As the national conversation surrounding transgender athletes continues to unfold, Roanoke College remains a microcosm of the broader division within the country.
Sources: CNN, FOX, NYT
(image courtesy of Glenn Youngkin Instagram)
Mikaela Gantz
Editor-in-Chief
