Ending the Unfair Advantage: Addressing the Inequities in Women’s Sports Created by Trans Athletes

The boos said it all.

When Aayden Gallagher crossed the finishing line on Saturday to claim the Oregon Girls’ 6A 200-meter state championship, the crowd erupted in boos.

Once again, the crowd booed loudly as sophomore student Gallagher from McDaniel High in Portland stood on the podium to receive the winner’s medal.

However, cheers filled the air when the name of the second-place runner was announced.

This reaction to the state athletics competition result was highly unusual and could potentially be historic.

The reason why Gallagher was such an unpopular winner is that the sprinter is a transgender woman born biologically male with superior physiology compared to the female competitors.

Video clips from the race showed Gallagher towering over most of the other runners, demonstrating a significant advantage in height, power, and speed that clearly undermined any notion of fairness or equality.

Gallagher completed the 200m in 23.82 seconds, one of the fastest times in state history, especially impressive for a woman, not a man.

The runner-up was Roosevelt sophomore Aster Jones, the younger sister of University of Oregon track standout Lily Jones and a rising star in women’s athletics who won the 100m.

Jones would have likely won the 200m race if not for the presence of a biological male competitor.

Despite initially leading, Jones was overtaken by Gallagher’s superior performance.

The situation was likened to watching Usain Bolt compete in the women’s 200m race and outperforming current world champion Shericka Jackson.

This is due to Bolt’s bigger, stronger, and faster male biology, which is why there are separate categories for men and women in athletics.

World Athletics has recognized this and prohibited transgender athletes from competing, but many lower-level US sports organizations have been slow to follow suit.

The Oregon School Activities Association (OSAA) policy allows transgender athletes to participate in high school sports based on their asserted gender identity, claiming it promotes fair and safe competition.

However, Gallagher’s win and the hostile crowd’s reaction highlight the policy’s failure to ensure harmony and equality in sports.

Gallagher has only been in track and field for two months and has already become the fastest “girl” in Portland, Oregon; a situation often viewed as a farce.

Despite the OSAA’s claims of providing a fair and safe environment for transgender athletes, Gallagher required security due to the escalating anger among spectators over the unfairness.

Does this sound like a safe environment?

One mother of a female runner accused Gallagher of taking opportunities away from their daughters and emphasized the importance of fairness for all competitors.

While respecting Gallagher’s preferred pronouns, the mother highlighted the impact of transgender rights on women’s rights, particularly in sports.

It’s crucial to uphold the rights of all individuals while ensuring fairness and equality, especially in competitive sports.

Nobody should deny Gallagher the right to compete but doing so against females raises valid concerns around fairness and equality.

Gallagher should compete against other biological males or an open category should be established for transgender athletes to maintain fairness in sports.

The events at Heyward Field in Oregon demand action to prevent similar occurrences that may undermine the aspirations of young female athletes across the country due to flawed policies.