The university’s volleyball team forfeits because of an alleged transgender member of the opposing team

The University of Wyoming women’s volleyball team just announced that it will forfeit its match against the San José State University women’s volleyball team because a transgender player is allegedly playing in San Jose.

The surrender contradicts the University of Wyoming’s earlier statement that the game would be resumed after talks with San Jose’s staff. The University of Wyoming did not say what led to its team’s change in decision.

“After lengthy discussions, the University of Wyoming will not play its scheduled conference game against San Jose State University at the UniWyo Athletic Complex on Saturday, October 5,” Nick Seeman, associate athletic director at the University of Wyoming, said in a statement. “In accordance with Mountain West Conference policy, the Conference will record the game as a forfeit and a loss for Wyoming.”

This is the third team to forfeit a game against San Jose due to allegations that the team had a transgender player. This forfeiture, along with two others – from Boise State University and Southern Utah University – comes in response to a lawsuit filed by anti-transgender activist Riley Gaines. The lawsuit, which was later joined by San Jose player Brooke Slusser, alleges that Slusser’s teammate and roommate, Blaire Fleming, is a transgender woman.

Wyoming lawmakers added additional pressure by circulating a letter ordering the state university to forfeit the game.

“The Legislature has made it very clear that the University of Wyoming, a publicly funded land-grant institution, should not participate in the extremist Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) program or promote the lie that biological sex can be changed,” the letter reads. , distributed by Senator Cheri Steinmetz (R), states. “We all know it can’t be done.”

Fleming has chosen not to publish any responses regarding her gender identity and remains a private citizen. She also reportedly did not reveal additional details about her identity to her team.

Gaines’ lawsuit alleges that Fleming, by living as a transgender woman living with cis women, invaded Slusser’s privacy and caused “physical and emotional injuries.” The lawsuit provides few details about the tangible harm trans women are causing in women’s sports.

The lawsuit also alleges that Fleming is one of the team’s top performers, stating that he has the second-highest number of “kills” on the team – a term that refers to an irresistible attack that earns a point for the opposing team – and that he raises the ball at “80 miles per hour.”

For Fleming to hit the ball that fast, she would have to outperform the top women’s Olympians and rank higher than many of the top men’s Olympians.

Fleming has been playing for over two years. If she were a transgender woman, in order to play women’s volleyball, she would have to have her testosterone levels equal to those of a cis woman repeatedly tested.

“Athletics should support teamwork, development and healthy competition, not discrimination and exclusion,” Wyoming Equality said in a statement about the incident. “We believe that every athlete, including transgender athletes, deserves the opportunity to compete and play the sport they love. This is personal to me because I was the first transgender athlete at UW to experience the best of Wyoming – the focus on sports, not politics. Taking away the opportunity to compete hurts all athletes.

Subscribe LGBTQ nation bulletin and be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities around the world.

Don’t forget to share:

Related:

Stay connected with your community