Several girls staged a protest at a middle school girl’s track and field event in Bridgeport, West Virginia, refusing to compete due to the participation of a transgender athlete. The protest, which took place at Bridgeport Middle School, occurred shortly after a federal appeals court ruled in favor of a transgender teenager who sued West Virginia over a law that barred biological boys from competing in girls’ sports.
In a video posted online, five girls from the Lincoln Middle School track and field team can be seen watching the transgender athlete participate in the shot put competition. When their names were called, the girls “stepped in” but then “stepped out” without participating, as a form of protest against the event.
Riley Gaines, a women’s sports advocate, expressed support for the protesting girls, stating, “It’s a sad day when 13-14yr old girls have to be the adults in the room, but I couldn’t be more inspired by and proud of these girls. Enough is enough. Tide is turning.”
The Fourth Circuit Court recently ruled 2-1 in favor of Becky Pepper-Jackson, a 13-year-old transgender athlete represented by Joshua Block, an attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union. Block hailed the ruling as a victory for transgender rights, stating, “This case is fundamentally about the equality of transgender youth in our schools and our communities, and we’re thankful the Fourth Circuit agreed.”
According to one of the protesting girls, the transgender athlete went on to win the shot put event during the Championships.