SAN JOSE, Calif. (KGO) — In the middle of an undefeated start of the season for San Jose State Women’s Volleyball, the team has become the target of attacks from conservative media amid a lawsuit over a player’s gender.
The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Atlanta, challenges the NCAA’s Title IX protections regarding transgender athletes in women’s sports. Those who joined the lawsuit include former Kentucky swimmer Riley Gaines and SJSU volleyball’s co-captain Brooke Slusser.
In the lawsuit, Slusser claims she overheard a teammate saying she was transgender after a rumor. Slusser went on to allege there were concerns about whether it was safe or fair for her and her teammate, or their opponents, to share the court with a transgender athlete.
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Since then, Boise State and Southern Utah have both forfeited matches against SJSU but did not release further details on why.
Idaho Governor Brad Little also joined the conversation, posting to X that he “applauded” Boise State’s decision.
“We need to ensure player safety for all of our female athletes and continue the fight for fairness in women’s sports,” said Gov. Little.
The NCAA first adopted a policy governing transgender athlete participation in 2010, providing a pathway to participation for transgender women and men in accordance with their gender identities. It revised that policy on Jan. 19, 2022, to a sport-specific approach.
The NCAA currently requires transgender women wanting to compete in women’s sports to submit documentation, including testosterone levels, to the NCAA committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports. The committee’s medical panel decides eligibility.
“College sports are the premier stage for women’s sports in America and the NCAA will continue to promote Title IX, make unprecedented investments in women’s sports and ensure fair competition for all student-athletes in all NCAA championships,” the NCAA said in a statement.
San Jose State University says student athletes are in full compliance with NCAA rules and regulations and cannot comment further due to privacy protections.
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Gabrielle Antolovich with the Billy DeFrank LGBTQ+ Community Center in San Jose is appalled by the spreading hatred toward transgender athletes.
“It’s happening all over the country,” Antolovich said. “So, part of me is not surprised, but part of me is also very upset that it’s continuing to happen.”
Antolovich is worried about the safety of the SJSU athlete and calls on the community to support her and other trans-athletes in a time of dangerous misinformation.
The next team on SJSU’s schedule is Colorado State. A spokesperson for the team says that match is scheduled to move forward.
ESPN’s Katie Barnes contributed to this article.
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