Lawsuit involving transgender athletes in Riverside A Riverside high school is embroiled in a lawsuit concerning transgender athletes after a cross-country runner was moved down to junior varsity following a faster performance by a student who identifies as female but was assigned male at birth. RIVERSIDE, Calif. – A Riverside high school is engaging in […]
Lawsuit involving transgender athletes in Riverside
A Riverside high school is embroiled in a lawsuit concerning transgender athletes after a cross-country runner was moved down to junior varsity following a faster performance by a student who identifies as female but was assigned male at birth.
RIVERSIDE, Calif. – A Riverside high school is engaging in the contentious discussion surrounding transgender athletes in sports.
“Everyone is discussing it—students, teachers, staff,” said Tory, a student.
Taylor, a co-captain of the varsity girls’ cross-country team at Martin Luther King High School, found her position challenged when a transgender girl outpaced her in race times and allegedly took her spot on the roster.
“Honestly, it’s been tough,” stated Taylor’s father, Ryan Starling. “It brings tears to your eyes. Having my daughter come to me for comfort and say, ‘Dad, I don’t understand’; it’s heartbreaking.”
In response, Taylor and a teammate, Kaitlyn, initiated a federal civil lawsuit against MLK High School and the Riverside Unified School District.
“When I first heard about it, I was shocked, wondering, ‘Why is this happening to me?’” Taylor shared in an interview with Fox News Digital.
“There’s a transgender student on the team, so why am I the one displaced when I’ve dedicated so much time and effort, while this student has shown up for only a handful of practices?”
The lawsuit claims that the transgender athlete had not regularly participated in practices or fulfilled vital varsity eligibility criteria, yet still claimed Taylor’s place on the team.
“It’s unjust that she lost her position to a biological male who didn’t fulfill the varsity standards; it contradicts Title IX,” remarked Julianne Fleischer, legal representative with Advocates for Faith & Freedom.
Taylor and her teammate then showed up to practice sporting t-shirts with the phrase “Save Girls Sports” on the front and “It’s common sense XX doesn’t equal XY” on the back.
“We were told we couldn’t wear the shirt during practice,” Taylor recounted to Fox News Digital. “Yet, the transgender student on our team wears bracelets labeled ‘Trans pride’. Why are they permitted to express themselves, and we can’t?”
Taylor voiced her concerns to a school administrator, who purportedly likened the t-shirt to displaying a swastika in front of Jewish individuals.
“That comparison was difficult to hear as we certainly weren’t intending to promote hate,” said Taylor’s ally Kaitlyn to Fox News Digital. “We’re merely wearing a shirt to convey our beliefs and to raise awareness about this issue.”
This week, numerous students donned “Save Girls Sports” t-shirts at school. Parents reported that students were made to conceal the messages or face disciplinary actions.
“My daughter was among them,” noted Ryan Starling. “She spent 2.5 hours in the principal’s office, missing out on instructional time.”
As some individuals express their support, others are sharing their apprehensions.
“That’s transphobic,” stated Hayden Nelson, a teacher in Riverside County. “They should cover it up and refrain from wearing it. Trans women are women, after all.”
FOX 11 reached out to the Riverside Unified School District seeking a response to these allegations, but has not yet received a reply.
According to Starling and Fleischer, they anticipate getting feedback regarding their civil federal lawsuit against MLK High School and the district in the upcoming weeks.
“We are simply asking for equal rights,” emphasized Starling. “The essence of this lawsuit is to ensure equality for these girls.”
