January 12, San Antonio, TX “Keep Women’s Sports Female”
SAN ANTONIO, TX – On January 12, female athletes, coaches, parents, and policy leaders will rally during the annual convention of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in San Antonio, Texas, to demand that the organization, the governing body for collegiate sports, stop discriminating against female athletes.
The rally is sponsored by a coalition of women’s advocacy groups including the Independent Council on Women’s Sports (ICONS), Independent Women’s Forum, Champion Women, Fair Play For Women, Women’s Sports Policy Working Group, Women’s Declaration International, U.S., Women’s Liberation Front, Concerned Women for America, International Consortium on Female Sports, LGB Alliance, Independent Women’s Law Center, and Texas Values Alliance.
In the name of “inclusion,” the NCAA allows males who identify as women to play women’s sports, so long as their levels of testosterone meet certain sport-specific requirements. The NCAA adopted its policy, despite scientific studies that prove testosterone suppression cannot eliminate the male athletic advantage.
Jennifer C. Braceras, director of Independent Women’s Law Center, stated, “allowing even a single female athlete to be displaced by a biological male — at the podium, on the field, or on the roster — is discrimination plain and simple. And the NCAA is not above the law.”
The San Antonio rally will promote equal opportunity for both sexes in college sport and advocate for fair athletic policies rooted in science. Following the rally, the supporters will hand deliver a petition to the NCAA sign by thousands across the country.
Riley Gaines, former 12x All-American swimmer at the University of Kentucky, has been a leading voice speaking out against the NCAA’s policies promoting trans-inclusion at the expense of women. “Let me be clear, I am not against providing trans-athletes a space to compete. I fully believe there is a solution that can accommodate trans-identifying individuals without compromising equal opportunity or privacy for female athletes.”
She added, “I sincerely hope that the NCAA takes the time to hear from the growing number of female athletes who have been hurt, traumatized, or excluded by policies that claim to promote inclusion. And familiarize themselves with the scientific evidence that shows the impossibility of leveling the collegiate playing field through hormone therapy.”
Gaines has recently started working with Independent Women’s Forum to actively work towards pushing legislation at the state and federal level that enforces a solution prioritizing fairness in women’s sports all while being inclusive by offering a place for everyone to compete in an appropriate category.
RALLY DETAILS:
What: Tell the NCAA: Stop Discriminating Against Female Athletes Rally WHEN: January 12 at 9:00 a.m. CST
WHERE: Outside of the NCAA Convention in San Antonio, TX (outside of the Henry B. González Convention Center, corner of E Market Street and Tower of the Americas Way)
WHY: Show support for women athletes and single-sex athletic competition Speakers to include:
Riley Gaines, Former NCAA 2x All-American, 2x Olympic trials qualifier, 4x SEC Gold medalist, and SEC record holder swimmer in the 200 butterfly from the University of Kentucky. She tied for 5th place against Lia Thomas at the NCAA Championships.
Adriana McLamb, Former NCAA volleyball player from Florida International University, and current Team Florida All Star coach
Kim Jones, former All-American tennis player, mother of Ivy League swimmer, and co-founder of Independent Council on Women’s Sports (ICONS)
Blake Allen, High school volleyball player from Vermont that had to compete and share a locker room with male athlete identifying as a female. After speaking up and calling this athlete a “he”, Blake was suspended from school and her father was suspended from his coaching job. The school board tried to force her to write an apology to which she did not comply.
Macy Petty, NCAA volleyball player, during USA Volleyball junior qualifiers she competed against a male athlete identifying as a female, which affected her recruiting potential
Barbara Ehardt, Former 15-year career NCAA Division I women’s basketball coach at University of California, Santa Barbara; Brigham Young University (Provo); Washington State University; and Cal State Fullerton; former NCAA basketball player at Idaho State University; and current member of the Idaho House of Representatives from the 33rd district
Marshi Smith, Former NCAA and PAC-10 champion swimmer from the University of Arizona, and co-founder of Independent Council on Women’s Sports (ICONS)
Nancy Hogshead-Makar, 3x Olympic champion and silver medalist, and CEO of Champion Women
Lanie Armistad, Former NCAA soccer player at West Virginia State University who intervened in lawsuit to defend women’s sports in West Virginia
Vanessa Said, Former NCAA swimmer at University of Texas and former coach at Trinity University
Mary T. Meagher, 3x Olympic champion and former world record holder in 100 and 200 butterfly that she held for nearly 20 years
Jill Mills, American world champion powerlifter and world champion strongwoman
Anne Simpson, Former NCAA rower at Cal during the 70s. Also the third female pilot hired at a major airline in 1981. She has always credited sport and competitive athletics for her success and passionately supports Title IX and the doors that it continues to open for girls and young women.
Linda Blade, Former NCAA All American and National Champion of Canada in track & field. Has spent 25 years as a sport-performance professional coach. PhD in Kinesiology, and she’s traveled the globe conducting coach education courses on behalf of World Athletics.
Pat Etem, Former NCAA rower at the University of California, Berkeley. One of only two African American women to ever compete on the U.S. national and Olympic rowing teams.
Megan Burke, 2x NCAA champion, track & cross country athlete from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Linnea Saltz, Former NCAA track & field athlete from Southern Utah University. She competed against June Eastwood, the first male athlete identifying as female to compete in DI cross country
Keri Olson, 1995 NCAA champion in singles and doubles from University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), and the mother of four athletes
Texas State Rep. Valorree Swanson, author of House Bill 25 87(3), known as the “Save Girls’ Sports Act”
And more!