Utter Bullshit.

I voted yesterday. As I biked by the massive collection of political signs just beyond the boundaries of the town hall, I found myself enraged by a couple of signs which are utter and complete bullshit.

These cries of “Protect Girls Sports” are a message opposed to Proposal 1. I turned my ballot vote over and voted Yes to Prop 1, and you should, too. But the “Save Girls Sports” message particularly pisses me off as a mom who raised two passionate girl athletes, and here’s why.

Athletes Come in All Shapes and Sizes

Athletes are sized differently, and this can work to their advantage or disadvantage. You likely know that Michael Phelps has a huge “wingspan” that serves him well in swimming, and in the most recent Olympics, it was clear that Ilona Maher uses her size to her advantage in rugby. On a less extreme scale, this variety plays out in all sports, everywhere. J is relatively short, and as a volleyball player, that puts her at a big disadvantage against hitters who tower over her. Like many shorter-than-average volleyball players, she often played libero, the defensive position best suited to being close to the floor. The trouble with libero is there’s only one of them, so if you have more than one shorty-pants who wants to play volleyball, well, they’re out of luck. Does that mean that we should be providing separate Short and Tall leagues? Nope. Them’s the breaks.

They’re Creating Imaginary Boogeymen

First of all, there is a teensy percentage of trans athletes in high school sports. According to a 2021 Human Rights Campaign report, trans athletes are around 0.44% of all high school athletes, and many of these are trans boys. Second of all, people fighting against trans girls in sports raise the specter of a huge, hairy, muscle-bound athlete who chooses to transition for a competitive advantage. This is just utter bullshit. It is not easy to be transgender. 82% of transgender individuals have considered killing themselves and 40% have attempted suicide, and these rates have gone up in states where anti-trans laws have been passed. Many trans girls have been living as girls for years, and they just want to play with their friends. Growing up is hard enough: why can’t we be compassionate and inclusive?

Self-Appointed Body Police are the Real Threat, and Voting Down Prop 1 Empowers Them

Playing sports is fantastic for girls. However, there is still a massive amount of body shaming and judgement involved. Girls are vulnerable, and often the uniform of their chosen sport leaves them particularly exposed as they perform in front of spectators. I’ve seen parents who’ve chosen to have their daughters “play up” against older teams complain that these older girls are bigger. At a recent college game, members of the opposing men’s team called a player by first and last name and critiqued specific aspects of her body mercilessly.

There are also plenty of creepers out there. Even if you don’t follow sports at all, you’ve surely heard about Larry Nassar traumatizing scores of gymnasts. Just like almost any place you go, there are men who make women and girls uncomfortable in sports: the volleyball referee who is too touchy, the soccer coach who texts with preteens. Now, here’s an idea: let’s give random people we don’t know the opportunity to question kids’ genders! Because that’s how it would play out. You’d be at a big tournament with a whole bunch of people, just about to play, or possibly mid-game, and someone would say something to an official, and next thing you know, you’d need to produce proof. Which would be humiliating, and get everyone riled up and talking about it, and completely throw her off her game. Yes, I suppose we can be relieved it appears that states have backed off from threatened “genital checks,” but I feel like it’s relevant that there’s a proportion of the population who ever thought that genital checks should be on the table. These randos should not have any power over my children. Or your children.

If you’re here in New York, please don’t forget to turn your ballot over and vote YES on Prop 1 for basic human rights for all humans, and to protect girl athletes from body shamers and creepers.