Female athletes force ‘inclusive’ university to cancel match against trans player
The University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) was forced to cancel a volleyball match last week after its women’s team refused to play against the opposing team’s trans player.
UNR was scheduled to play against San Jose State University (SJSU) on Saturday, October 26th. The right-side hitter for SJSU’s women’s volleyball team is Blaire Fleming, a man who reportedly claims to be transgender. His teammate, Brooke Slusser, says women on opposing teams are unable to “fully protect themselves” from Fleming’s spikes, which she estimates travel faster than 80 mph.
Teams at several other universities have refused to play SJSU due to Fleming’s participation, but UNR administrators assured Outkick in early October that its team would not be one of them.
Athletes boycott match
Evidently, the university had not checked with the players because the team put out a statement forfeiting the match.
"We, the University of Nevada Reno women’s volleyball team, forfeit against San Jose State University and stand united in solidarity with the volleyball teams of Southern Utah University, Boise State University, the University of Wyoming, and Utah State University," the athletes wrote. "We demand that our right to safety and fair competition on the court be upheld. We refuse to participate in any match that advances injustice against female athletes."
University turns against team
The school responded with a statement of its own, saying the team made the decision “independently” and “without consultation with the University or the athletics department.” It affirmed its commitment to “equality of rights,” which it said included “gender identity,” and pledged to provide “an inclusive and supportive environment.”
“The University intends to move forward with the match as scheduled, and the players may choose not to participate in the match on the day of the contest,” the university continued.
School backs down
The players stood by their decision, however, and UNR was forced to cancel the game.
“Due to not having enough players to compete, the University of Nevada women’s volleyball team will not play its scheduled Mountain West Conference match at San José State,” the university said in a statement last Thursday, two days before the match. “Per Mountain West Conference policy, the match will be recorded as a loss for Nevada.”
UNR is the fifth university to refuse the play against SJSU over its male player. Earlier in October, Utah State University announced it was forfeiting its match against SJSU after Boise State, the University of Wyoming, and Southern Utah University did the same.
‘A movement is in motion’
"When college athletes have to vote on whether to play the sport they received scholarships for, it’s a clear sign that the adults responsible for protecting them have failed," athlete and political activist Riley Gaines said about the University of Nevada’s decision. "I applaud these athletes for setting boundaries and prioritizing their safety over victory. They've shown far more courage and leadership than the president of the university and the President of this country.”
Gaines and Slusser are suing the NCAA for its policy of allowing men on women’s teams.
“A movement is in motion,” Gaines said after Utah State University pulled out of its match against SJSU. “It’s becoming increasingly clear that the NCAA has a decision to make. So far, the NCAA has prioritized inclusion over safety & fairness. Will the @NCAA keep letting girls take matters into their own hands or will they step up & protect their athletes?”
The trend signals a possible change in women’s positive attitudes toward men in women’s sports, compared to attitudes from two years ago.
Women support men in women’s sports, surveys show
According to a 2022 Pew Research poll, 62% of women felt “there is a great deal or a fair amount of discrimination against transgender people.” Only 52% of men agreed. Women have also been more likely than men to say it is “extremely or very important” to use a person’s “new” name or “preferred pronouns.”
Further surveys conducted in Western countries such as Australia, England, and Canada, also found that the majority of women athletes supported men competing in women’s sports and did not believe males hold an “unfair advantage” against females. Most men strongly disagree.
