The recent events of transgender athletes playing on girl’s high school sports teams in New Hampshire have brought some serious boundary and free speech issues to light. Two players received a court injunction to continue playing their high school sports in New Hampshire (New Hampshire transgender teens can play girls’ sports, federal judge rules). Still, one trans-identifying soccer player did not and continues to play, violating NH State law. Maelle Jacques plays as a junior for the Kearsage girl’s soccer team.
Two Bow, NH, parents were given no trespass orders for silently wearing XX-marked pink wrist bands during a game with another transgender player. They are suing their district for free speech violations About 50 free speech advocates and parents attended the next Bow girls’ soccer game to show support for free speech and women’s sports. No new “No Trespass” orders were given.
Thanks to Betsy for this contribution – send yours to steve@granitegrok.com
Some NH girls’ high school soccer opponents refuse to play against the athlete for fear of injury or based on principle. In NC, a student was left partially paralyzed after a trans-identifying opponent spiked the volleyball into her head. It has led at least one NH high school athlete to formally complain to the NH attorney general’s office. The complainant, a Hillsboro Deering High School student, said she didn’t play in the game because of safety concerns and legality.
Kearsarge won, but at least five girls refused to play from the Hillsboro Deering girls’ varsity soccer team, so a JV-level team was sent. The girls who played did their best despite knowing the situation and not having their team captain present, along with many of their strongest teammates. It was a hard decision for ALL of the girls on whether to play or not. The Hillsboro Deering High School did NOT give the girls’ parents advanced notice. They were unaware that Maelle Jacques was playing at all or illegally.
Another parent emailed them at the last minute with little time to prepare or respond. Once the information was out, the coaches let the girls decide whether to play. They did not demand the state law be enforced, but they put in extra safeguards instead. The girls just wanted to play, and many didn’t want to address this issue at all. The five girls who refused did not get on the bus. More formal complaints could follow.
Being inclusive has been such a dominant push lately that it appears boundaries have been broken in making an effort to “be inclusive. “ The law is clear: NH HB1205 says no biological boys in girls’ designated high school sports. Yet it’s barely been enacted and injunctions have been given and some have chosen to just break the law and play, like in the Kearsarge District. This brings considerable liability to the Kearsarge School District. They have been dealing with an unwinnable situation. They wish to support their student, yet the dangers surrounding this student are many. Would the boys soccer team be non-inclusive and put Maelle Jacques in danger? Would something change with the law to allow Maelle’s continued participation with the girls? Would that be dangerous to the girls? Is the community so upset that they bring unwanted risk or attention when Maelle plays with the girls?
Some unspoken dangers also exist. This trans athlete’s father was recently convicted and sentenced to 60 months in federal prison for possessing or distributing child abuse images—hundreds of them. Many parents and the school district were aware for a year that this soccer dad was arrested for a sex offense, but the district couldn’t legally ask him to leave school grounds or prevent him from attending sporting and other events until he was convicted. People knew but couldn’t set any boundaries until the sentencing did so for them. Now, the uncomfortable truth is out. Sixty months and five years of supervision. He won’t disrupt the game now because he’ll likely be given sex offender requirements, keeping him away from children that are not his own.
What’s happened to our boundaries? Girls are unwittingly playing against biological boys in “girl’s” sports, and an actual sexual predator has been in this mix. It’s becoming too sordid to comprehend.
Boundaries seem to be the critical factor here. Many people make excuses to break them, but we set them for a reason, and most of them are worth sticking up for. The girls who choose to play girl’s designated sports deserve space, safety, and privacy. We are grateful to the agencies that set the boundaries with this father. Our kids are safer for it. I hope Maelle Jacques finds a welcoming coed team with preexisting safety rules. There are options beyond a girl’s designated team. No one wants harm done on any side. It leaves everyone feeling poorly when we break boundaries and struggle to put the pieces back together.
Betsy Harrington is a Hillsboro Deering soccer mom who has already fought for this space. She unwillingly played against high school boys in field hockey in the 1980s—first one boy, and then four boys on one team—before the law to protect girls’ sports in her state changed. Betsy is also a member of Moms for liberty.
