Vermont school girls volleyball team banned from using locker room due to conflict with transgender player
RANDOLPH, VERMONT: Players of the Randolph High Schools girls' volleyball team have been banned from their own locker room as school officials investigate a conflict involving a transgender student on the team. A few students claimed that the transgender player made an 'inappropriate remark' as they were changing in the locker room.
However, no details of the "inappropriate remark" or of the transgender student are made public. According to WCAX, Vermont education policy states that students can play sports and use the locker room corresponding to their gender.
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Some players of the Randolph girls' volleyball team objected to having a transgender teammate in the room while they were changing. “It’s a huge thing. Everyone’s asking, ‘So, why aren’t you allowed in the locker room?’” said Blake Allen, a female player, who along with her other teammates is currently banned from using their own locker room. She further stated, "My mom wants me to do this interview to try to make a change, I feel like for stating my opinion -- that I don’t want a biological man changing with me -- that I should not have harassment charges or bullying charges. They should all be dropped.”
Allen then claimed, “There are biological boys that go into the girl’s bathroom but never a locker room." The athlete also added that the conflict started when the transgender student made an inappropriate comment as other members of the team were getting changed inside the locker room. According to New York Post, some team members want the transgender player relocated elsewhere.
She then continued, “They want all the girls who feel uncomfortable to get changed in a single-stall bathroom, which would take over 30 minutes, where, if one person got changed separately, it would take a minute, like no extra time.” According to DailyMail, after the incident, the school sent out an email to the parents and students stating that "the school has plenty of space where students who feel uncomfortable with the laws may change in privacy." Meanwhile, the authorities of the school sent out another email informing parents they are looking into allegations that the volleyball girls' team harassed the transgender student.
The DailyMail report also suggests that critics of male-to-female transgender players claim that these gamers have an unfair advantage over women after going through male puberty, though they undergo subsequent hormone treatment during their transition. The critics have also warned regarding potential safety concerns that might arise by having someone with male private parts in a female changing room. However, there are also transformations happening in the sports world to make it gender-friendly. FINA, the professional swimming body, has recently introduced a new 'open' category for trans swimmers to participate in the swimming competition.