‘This is shameful’: Outrage as West Virginia school girls who protested trans athlete’s participation are banned from future competitions

CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA: Five West Virginia middle schoolers who protested a transgender athlete’s participation in a track and field competition by forfeiting their shot put game, have been barred from future meets.

This has prompted the state attorney general to ask the US Supreme Court to weigh in on transgender student-athlete bans for a second time.

Notably, the US Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals recently blocked West Virginia’s ban on transgender athletes, finding the law violates transgender students’ rights. 

The ruling garnered wide attention when the girls' group refused to compete against a transgender athlete. 

West Virginia students banned from future competitions

Attorney General Patrick Morrisey of West Virginia launched a lawsuit on behalf of the dissident students against the Harrison County Board of Education after their protest during the shot put tournament on April 18 led to their exclusion from future meets, West Virgina Watch reported reported. 

Becky Pepper-Jackson, a 13-year-old who receives estrogen hormone therapy and medicine that blocks puberty, won the shot put competition after five Lincoln Middle School girls declined to participate in the competition.

Although transgender females are prohibited by West Virginia law from participating on girls' sports teams, a federal appeals court recently decided that the statute could not be legitimately applied to eighth-graders.

Judge Toby Heytens wrote that offering Becky Pepper-Jackson a “choice” between not participating in sports and participating only on boys’ teams “is no real choice at all.”

Despite the ruling, Morrisey has rallied against both the ruling and the treatment of the student-athletes who refused to compete against Becky.

Morrisey, a Republican currently running for governor, wrote in the amicus brief filed April 26, "Their actions at the earlier track meet were not disruptive or aggrandizing. They were the quiet demonstration of the student-athletes’ evident unhappiness with the competitive consequences of a federal appellate court’s decision." 

Additionally, former collegiate swimmer-turned-activist Riley Gaines, who has been outspoken against trans athletes participating in girls’ sporting events, weighed in on the issue, writing, “These girls stood up for what they believed and their coach barred them from competing. Insane”, in a post on X on Monday, April 29. 

Internet backs West Virginia school girls 

The Internet erupted in praise for the West Virginia school girls, while slaming their ban from all events.

A Facebook user said, "Get a good lawyer." 

A user said, "This is shameful."

A user wrote, "Stand strong girls."

Another user said, "Stay strong!!! Hope another school let's then join their team."

One said, "Parents should be rightfully infuriated and should show up to that school and the school board and threaten to stop paying the amount of money in property taxes in their own town!!"

A user said, "The new femininity - muscles and a mustache."

Another user said, "What! This is nuts. We are now living in a facist, totalitarian dictatorship under Biden." 

While a user wrote, "A society that doesnt defend its women is shameful."

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online