(ZENIT News / Washington, 28.10.2024).- A 14-year-old girl was defeated in a youth race by a transgender athlete. Afterwards, she reported what happened, stressing the destruction of women’s sport in an event organized by Riley Gaines, swimmer who raised her voice against men’s participation in women’s swimming races.
The event took place on May 18. Annaleigh Wilson, 14, explained her participation in Youth Olympics held in Cashmere, Washington State, and came in second in the mile race, behind a man who perceives himself a woman.
Annaleigh explained that her race in the State’s Youth Olympics enabled her to compete with the rest of the runners classified in different high schools. She protested, with her family, against the unjust competition: “Not because I didn’t win, but because, at this level of competition, it’s not right that boys compete against girls. The effort and talent of all these biological girls, who were with me, and had struggled so much as I did during the shole season, didn’t count.”
The transgender runner’s trainer heard Annaleigh’s complaints and those of her family members and threatened them with lawsuits. It was devastating for the young girl. ”It was like saying to us ‘Shut up, stop complaining and put up with it.’” She added, very emotional, “that’s why I’m speaking here. Our voice, as women athletes, must be heard, because we are the only ones personally affected.”
During the preparation, she noted that the body of the nearby runner was not the same as the rest. She didn’t think about it anymore until, on the podium, she heard that the winner was biologically a boy who beat her by seven seconds. “I had heard that this was happening in other places of the country, but it never happened to me first hand.”
After the race, Annaleigh experienced more problems. “Adults attacked my family and me for saying what we think about justice and the protection that biological girls deserve in sports. Adults accused my family and me of being ‘transphobes,’ of my being a ‘poor loser’ and that I value victory more than a human life. We were told that it would be our fault and our sole responsibility if this trans athlete took his life. I’ve been told that I’m simply not good enough and that’s why I am second.”
In her intervention on September 22, in front of some 500 people, she said: “I’ve never spoken in front of so many people. I sank and I felt extremely discouraged, because I felt that all the hard work I had done during the whole year was worth nothing and would be forgotten.”
Holding back tears, she added: “I’ve learned a lot from this experience. To allow boys to compete against girls isn’t working and it’s not right. It’s not working and isn’t right for women athletes; it doesn’t work and isn’t right for transgender athletes. Whatever you think, it’s wrong not to protect women’s sports. How many hatreds and arguments on both sides! The things I’ve heard about this trans athlete and about me are terrible and harmful I’m only 14 and I shouldn’t be concerned about this sort of adults’ affairs. But here I am, saying what I think, and trusting that the adults will take a step and do the right thing to protect and maintain women’s sports as something right and safe for biological girls.
I trust we will be able to find a solution so that all athletes compete with justice and security because, even at 14, I can see that the current rules aren’t working either with biological girls or with transgender athletes. Thank you.”
