Who is Jackie Fulkrod? Tennis association president resigns over trans player Brooklyn Ross' participation in Governor's Cup
CHEYENNE, WYOMING: The Wyoming tennis community is in the middle of a heated debate following the decision to allow transgender athlete Brooklyn Ross to participate in the women's singles category of the state's prestigious Governor's Cup. As tensions rose over the issue, Jackie Fulkrod, the President of the Cheyenne Tennis Association, made a significant and controversial move by resigning from her position.
"I think a man playing against a woman is a very unfair matchup when it's specifically meant for women in that specific draw," she stated to Cowboy State Daily.
Who is Jackie Fulkrod?
Fulkrod held the position of President at the Cheyenne Tennis Association and had been a board member for almost two years. One of the other concerns raised by Fulkrod was about Ross using female bathrooms at one of the tournament venues, Cheyenne Central High School. "There would be other biological females using the facility at the same time, and I just think that's so wrong," she said.
The controversy centers on the eligibility of Ross, a 27-year-old tennis player from Colorado, who previously competed in a tennis season with a Texas college in the NCAA Division II. Despite her successful record and consistent participation in women's competitions, her entry into the Wyoming Governor's Cup has sparked controversy. Ross expressed sadness over the backlash she is facing in her career. "It's always been positive and good," she said of her participation in women's competitions so far. "I feel sad this woman has resigned over this."
Fulkrod, whose mother also stepped down from the association's board due to Ross' involvement in the upcoming Governor's Cup, defended her decision to resign. "I feel like having a transgender athlete compete in the women's draw is against my personal integrity and what I believe and value. My decision to resign was solely based on the fact that we didn't have any way to protect our organization or protect our female athletes that are going to be playing in the tournament," Fulkrod added.
Meanwhile, Ross urged her critics to watch her play in the tournament, hoping that her presence would help raise awareness and understanding about trans athletes. "They probably haven't had the experience of any trans woman being able to play, and I'm glad to be able to kind of stand up for some of those people without a voice," she said. "Kids that have to choose between their authenticity and playing a game. This is an opportunity for them to be able to come see a trans woman competing and see a real example, not a hypothetical or theoretical," Ross said.
The Wyoming Governor's Cup falls under the purview of the United States Tennis Association (USTA). When approached about the decision to allow Ross to compete in the women's singles category, Peg Connor, the tournament director and executive director of the Wyoming Tennis Association, referred to the USTA's transgender policy. "Tennis thrives when the sport embraces inclusion," the USTA says in its statement on transgender athletes. "For that reason, tennis is open to all regardless of one's age, ethnicity, race, religious background, sexual orientation or gender identity."
