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Mid Vermont Christian School Eagles forfeited their girls basketball playoff game on Tuesday against Long Trail School Mountain Lions. The Christian school also dropped out of the state championship tournament because a player for the Mountain Lions was a transgender student.
A senior administrator for the Eagles released a statement to Fox News explaining their actions. The school didn't want to play against a team with a player who is biologically male. They thought that it was unfair to their players and were concerned about their safety.
"We withdrew from the tournament because we believe playing against an opponent with a biological male jeopardizes the fairness of the game and the safety of our players," the administrator said. "Allowing biological males to participate in women's sports sets a bad precedent for the future of women's sports in general."
Fans on social media showed support for the players at the Mid Vermont Christian School. Some felt sorry for the girls since they worked hard to be in the position they were in the playoffs. Others were upset at the tournament organizers for allowing a transgender player to participate.
Here are some of the comments from Twitter:
"The girls deserve to play."
"Maybe they can recruit a couple of guys and call it even"
"Transgirls and transwomen invading female spaces is a LOSING STRATEGY for overall transgender acceptance."
"I can't imagine how hard this was for them"
"If all teams followed this courageous example this problem would be solved quickly."
"Good for the parents supporting them walking out."
"I applaud them for showing much more integrity than the players & staff on the other team & legislators who allow this nonsense"
"Happy those girls had the courage to make a stand prior to competition!"
"Too bad the people that call the shots for the tournament decided to do the wrong thing."
"Women have to take a stand and not play against transgender players"
Vermont law on discrimination against student athletes based on their gender identity
According to Fox News, the state of Vermont doesn't allow any form of discrimination against student-athletes who have different gender identities. Any protests or disagreements over a student's biological gender participating in a sport will only be considered on a case-to-case basis.
Vermont Governor Phil Scott, a Republican, is a supporter of transgender rights in schools. Mid Vermont Christian School's withdrawal on Tuesday was not the first time a game was forfeited due to issues with a transgender player.
A coach for a middle school girls' soccer team was suspended for using the wrong gender pronoun. He was defending his daughter, who was uncomfortable with a transgender player in the same locker room. A group of female students was also banned from the locker room for not wanting to be with a transgender player.
Guess the Lakers players!
