Tag:
Transgender Athletes
Albany, NY
Politics
Blakeman Launches Bid For NY Governor, Setting Up GOP Clash With Stefanik
Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman has officially launched his campaign for New York governor, setting up a high-profile Republican primary fight with Rep. Elise Stefanik. Blakeman announced his run Tuesday, Dec. 9, releasing a campaign video and posting on X that he plans to “Put New York First” by focusing on public safety, taxes, and utility costs. “Our state is struggling with high taxes, rising utility bills, and rising crime,” Blakeman wrote. “New Yorkers deserve a proven leader who will put New York first” Blakeman pointed to his record as Nassau County executive, including keep…
Drexel Hill-Upper Darby, PA
Sports
Transgender Runner Evie Parts Sues Swarthmore College, NCAA Over Ban From Women’s Track Team
Swarthmore College graduate Evelyn “Evie” Parts is suing her alma mater and the NCAA, alleging she was illegally removed from the women’s track team for being transgender, according to a federal lawsuit filed in Pennsylvania. A transgender long-distance runner who led Swarthmore College’s women’s track team as a captain is now taking the college and the NCAA to court, claiming their enforcement of a transgender athlete ban violated her civil rights. Evelyn “Evie” Parts, a recent Swarthmore graduate with degrees in biology and environmental studies, filed a federal complaint in the Eastern D…
Princeton, NJ
Sports
NJ Transgender Athlete Sues Princeton After Being Pulled From Race Minutes Before Start
A transgender RIT track and field athlete who registered to run in a meet hosted by Princeton University was pulled from the competition minutes before her race, according to a newly filed lawsuit. Rising senior Sadie Schreiner, 21, of Hillsborough, alleges she was barred from competing in the women’s 200-meter dash at the Larry Ellis Invitational on May 3, because of her gender identity, despite meeting the official time requirements and properly registering, according to the civil complaint filed in Mercer County Superior Court. “Princeton would not allow her to run solely because she was…
Fairfield, CT
Sports
Danica Patrick Weighs In On Simone Biles–Riley Gaines Trans Athlete Feud: “Woke Mind Virus”
A women's sports pioneer has weighed in on the debate over trans athletes following a heated online exchange between one of the United States' greatest Olympians and a former NCAA swimmer. Danica Patrick, a 43-year-old former IndyCar and NASCAR driver, responded Sunday, June 8, to gymnast Simone Biles, who stood up for a trans high school pitcher who helped lead their team to a championship in the Minnesota state softball finals. "Defending men in women’s sports is the woke mind virus and/or another issue that requires therapy. Either way, it is so irrational,” Patrick posted to Instagram o…
Fairfield, CT
Sports
Simone Biles Condemns 'Truly Sick' Comments On Trans Athlete, Calls Riley Gaines 'Sore Loser'
As Elon Musk and President Donald Trump trade blows on social media amid their fractured political alliance, another feud — this time between two of the most prominent figures in women’s sports — is heating up online. Tension between Olympic gymnast Simone Biles and former NCAA swimmer turned conservative commentator Riley Gaines escalated this week after Gaines got angry that a transgender girl competed in a high school state championship softball game. Gaines, who has 1.5 million followers on X, formerly Twitter, called out the Minnesota State High School League for allowing transgender p…
Saratoga Springs, NY
Schools
Saratoga Springs School District's Transgender Athlete Policy Sparks Federal Investigation
The Trump administration has opened an investigation into a public school district in upstate New York over its policy permitting transgender athletes. Rep. Elise Stefanik confirmed that the US Department of Education is investigating the Saratoga Springs City School District for alleged Title IX violations “after my strong public advocacy," in a post on X Tuesday, May 6. Stefanik linked to a New York Post article in which Education Secretary Linda McMahon confirmed that the administration was looking into whether the district discriminated against girls by allowing biological boys to play …
Doylestown, PA
Politics
UPenn To Strip Lia Thomas Of Women’s Awards After Title IX Violation: Feds
The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has ruled the University of Pennsylvania violated Title IX by allowing a male athlete to compete in women’s sports and access female-only facilities, the Trump administration announced Monday, April 28. As part of the punishment, "federal officials ordered UPenn to strip transgender swimmer Lia Thomas of all women’s athletic titles, records, and awards — and return them to the rightful female athletes", according to the announcement. OCR found Penn denied women equal athletic opportunities when it permitted Thomas, a biologica…
Doylestown, PA
News
Trump Admin Freezes $175M In Federal Funding To UPenn Over Transgender Athlete Policy
The Trump administration has paused $175 million in federal funding to the University of Pennsylvania, citing the school’s controversial policies regarding transgender athletes, the president confirmed. The move comes as part of a broader crackdown on universities that violate an executive order signed last month, which bans transgender women and girls from competing in women’s sports. The order refers to transgender women as males. A Penn spokesperson told Fox News that the funding freeze is just a "taste" of what’s to come, warning that the school is at risk of losing all federal funding,…
Riverhead, NY
Politics
From Transgender Athletes To Mask Ban: These Political Stories Had Long Island Talking In 2024
From a historic presidential conviction to heated debates over mask bans and transgender athletes, 2024 was a political whirlwind that kept Long Islanders talking, tweeting, and taking sides. Here are some of the most-read Daily Voice politics stories from across Nassau and Suffolk counties this year. The US House voted to expel New York Rep. George Santos from office Friday, Dec. 1. US House/Martin Falbisoner George Santos Announces Comeback Bid For NY Congressional Seat: 'Off To The Races' Disgraced former New York Rep. George Santos mounted – and quickly rescinded – a comeback…
Albany, NY
Politics
Election 2024: NY's Controversial Anti-Discrimination Amendment Decided By Voters
New York voters have made their voices heard on a controversial constitutional amendment aimed at expanding anti-discrimination protections. Proposal 1, dubbed the “Equal Rights Amendment,” was approved by voters. The "yes" votes were leading 62 to 28 percent with 34-percent of the vote counted as of 10 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 5, according to the state Board of Elections. It would amend the New York State Constitution to protect against unequal treatment based on the following: Ethnicity, national origin, age or disability Sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression Pregnanc…
Albany, NY
Politics
Election 2024: Here’s Closer Look At NY’s ‘Equal Rights Amendment' Prop 1
New York voters will decide on a whole lot more than just the next president and vice president this Election Day. Earlier Report: Here's When Early Voting Starts In NY, How To Find Polling Places Among the statewide issues being decided is Proposal 1, known as the “Equal Rights Amendment.” If approved, it would amend the New York State Constitution to protect against unequal treatment based on the following: Ethnicity, national origin, age or disability Sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression Pregnancy and pregnancy outcomes Reproductive healthcare and auton…
Albany, NY
Politics
NYers' Views On Transgender Athletes, Other Hot Button Issues Revealed In Fresh Polling
In an age where Democrats and Republicans can't seem to agree on anything, fresh polling shows New Yorkers on both sides of the aisle still have some common ground on a few hot button issues. Strong bipartisan majorities support safeguarding access to in vitro fertilization (IVF) and enhancing protections for the LGBTQ community, a Siena College poll released Monday, April 22, showed. Specifically, 80 percent of Democrats, 70 percent of Republicans, and 72 percent of independents favored safeguarding access to IVF for all Americans, the poll found. Related Report: 'Blatantly Illegal…
Massapequa, NY
Sports
Westchester Native, Ex-Olympian Caitlyn Jenner Visits NY In Support Of Trans Athletes Ban
Caitlyn Jenner, a former Olympian and media personality, paid a visit to Long Island to publicly back a recent executive order banning transgender women from participating in women’s sports. On Monday, March 18, the former Olympian, who came out as a trans woman in 2015, held a press conference alongside Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman in support of his polarizing transgender athlete ban. The executive order, which went into effect on Thursday, Feb. 22, prohibits the Nassau County Parks & Recreation Department from issuing permits to female teams that include transgender women, …
Lynn, MA
Sports
Video Of Mass Trans Basketball Player Injuring Female Opponent Goes Viral
A girls' basketball player in Lynn, Massachusetts, who was allegedly born male has sparked controversy after a video of them wrenching the ball from a female opponent causing an injury has gone viral. The Thursday, Feb. 8 game between KIPP Academy in Lynn and Collegiate Charter in Lowell ended in a forfeit after Collegiate Charter's coach pulled his team from competition after multiple injuries had "depleted" his team's bench, the school said in a press release. KIPP Academy has declined to answer questions about the unnamed player's gender, though multiple outlets have rep…
Mahwah-Ramsey, NJ
Sports
Trans Swimmer Smashes Another Record For Ramapo College Sparking Controversy
Meghan Cortez-Fields has clocked yet another record for the Ramapo College women's swim team. But not without controversy. The senior athlete switched from the men's team to the women's team after transitioning from male to female. Back in November, she set her first record for the women's team, drawing controversy. Last Friday, Cortez-Fields finished 7th overall (2:10.76) at the NJAC Swimming and Diving Championships at the University of Maryland in College Park and advanced to the finals, finishing in fifth place at 2:08:20. That's a new record. And Riley Gaines, a former Universi…
Mahwah-Ramsey, NJ
Sports
Trans Ramapo College Swimmer's New Record For Women's Team Causes Controversy
A transgender Ramapo College swimmer is making waves after breaking a school record her first year on the women's team. Meghan Cortez-Fields set a program record in winning the 100-yard butterfly [57.22] at the Cougar Splash, which was hosted by Misericordia University in Dallas on Saturday. She also took second in the 200-IM [2:12.05]. Yet, not all are celebrating. Cortez-Fields’ victory drew criticism from some women’s rights activists, who took exception to her swimming with the women’s team as a senior after competing for the Ramapo men’s team as a freshman, sophomore and junior. The…
Lower Paxton, PA
News
'Slap In The Face To Women' UPenn Transgender Swimmer Nominated As NCAA 'Woman Of The Year'
Many top female athletes feel "slapped in the face" as the NCAA's "Woman Of The Year" nomination list includes recent University of Pennsylvania graduate transgender swimmer Lia Thomas. Lia Thomas, 22, who previously competed as William on the men's swim team, made history as the first transgender athlete to win an NCAA championship on Mar. 17, the school and dozens of media outlets announced immediately following the event. View this post on Instagram A post shared by ESPN (@espn) Fellow NCAA "Woman Of The Year" Riley Gaines who previously …
Gettysburg, PA
News
Bill Banning Transgender Girls From Girls' Sports Races Toward Pennsylvania Senate
A bill banning transgender girls from participating in girls' school sports is making was passed by the Pennsylvania House on Tuesday, April 12. Now heading to the Senate, the bill — passed in an 115-84 vote —would ban "students of the male sex" from playing on all-girls teams. A spokesperson for Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf said he'll veto the bill if it makes it to him, according to the Associated Press. Rep. Austin Davis of Allegheny County said the bill "demonstrates a lack of empathy." Rep. Valerie Gaydos, a former Division III lacrosse player, said allowing transgender girls to play on …
Lower Paxton, PA
News
Controversial UPenn Swimmer Is First Transgender NCAA Championship Winner
A University of Pennsylvania athlete has swum her way to victory both a man and a woman, this time taking home an NCAA trophy on Thursday. Lia Thomas, 22, who previously competed as William on the men's swim team, has made history as the first transgender athlete to win an NCAA championship on Mar. 17, the school and dozens of media outlets announced immediately following the event. View this post on Instagram A post shared by ESPN (@espn) Thomas is also the first Quaker female swimmer to win an NCAA individual title, according to a release…
Gettysburg, PA
Schools
Caitlyn Jenner Speaks Out Against UPenn Transgender Swimmer Lia Thomas
Caitlyn Jenner has apparently been following Pennsylvania college sports and she is not pleased with what she sees. The former Olympian, who competed as Bruce Jenner, appeared on Fox News’ “America Reports” on Wednesday to share her views on UPenn's record-setting swimmer, Lia Thomas. Thomas competed on the men's swim team as Will Thomas for three years, right up until Nov. 2019 when she transitioned. Jenner does not feel transgender athletes should compete in on teams of their chosen gender. “I’ve said from the beginning, biological boys should not be playing in women’s sports,” Jenner…
New Haven, CT
News
Change Trans Student-Athlete Policy Or Lose Funding, Fed Tells Connecticut Schools
The federal government is threatening to withhold millions of dollars from Connecticut schools if they don’t change their policies on transgender athletes. New Haven’s magnet school program allows transgender students to play on any sports team they choose. The federal government wants New Haven to ban this choice. The Federal Magnet Schools Assistance Grant Program has vowed to withhold $6 million from the city’s magnet schools, according to WNPR. New Haven magnet schools include Davis Street, King/Robinson, and High School in the Community. The funds could be withheld due to a recent d…
