5 hours Ago
There is a conversation to be had about transgender athletes competing at the highest levels, but the Maine Principals’ Association’s decision to allow the small handful of trans high school students to compete against their preferred gender is the right one for several reasons. First, as a group, LGBTQ adolescents are four times more likely to attempt suicide than their peers. Transgender and gender nonconforming adolescents are two times more likely to commit suicide than even their gender-conforming LGBQ peers.
Adults putting them on blast on social media encourages those children to harm themselves for lack of support and increased, direct harassment. Tom Letourneau lives in Portland. States that have passed anti-trans legislation have noticed a real uptick in the suicide of trans teens.
However, being a part of your middle or high school’s sports team fosters community, connection and belonging, as well as the physical gratification of appreciating all that one’s body is capable of. Second, opponents of trans inclusion claim to be protecting girls, but girls are strong and capable of competing. Often, increased competition produces better results.
For example, I watched a high school track race last spring with a transgender athlete, who, by the way, did not win the race. The girls worked together, each taking turns leading the pack; the increased competition made for one of the most exciting high school races I’d seen in a long time, with several girls setting personal bests. When girls are pushed to succeed, they do.
They do not need protection from “boys” because a strong female athlete is often just as capable as a strong male athlete. The difference between the women’s and men’s world records in the 5K (3.1 miles) is only 65 seconds, less than one lap over the course of a 12.
5-lap race. As the length of the race increases, the gap between men and women does not grow proportionally. Women close the gap.
Third, Maine permits transgender boys to compete in the gender of their preference, yet no one harasses them at the rate or with the vigor they do transgender girls. Take a step back to reflect about why that might be: we still live in a society where being a boy is more highly valued than being a girl, so trans boys are overlooked because they are transitioning to the dominant cultural norm. If it’s so offensive to you to become a girl, perhaps think about your opinion regarding the strength, beauty and power of being a girl.
Do girls need someone to step in and tell them who they can and can’t compete against? Clearly, for boys, the answer is no. Lastly, it’s Maine high school athletics. Maine is a small state with incredible sportsmanship.
Inclusion in high school athletics makes kids, teams and communities stronger. Maine high schoolers compete with a wide range of abilities, and it’s not always about the high achievers. It’s about support, community and team.
Mainers are deeply rooted in community, and those in the Legislature who want to kowtow to national politics and harass a handful of teenagers don’t understand Maine athletics. Volunteer with your local high school team, like I do, and you will see that they are all just kids. 38% of LGBTQ+ youth in Maine have considered suicide, national report says Comments are not available on this story.
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