The father of a female member of a California high school ski team is incredulous that this year’s state women’s slalom championship was won by a male.
In an exclusive interview with the U.K. Daily Mail, the anonymous father lashed out at officials and lawmakers who have allowed male athletes who “identify” as women to compete on girls’ sports teams.
It’s been going on for several years on other high school sports teams, but it only became a reality for California’s Davis Senior High School ski team this season, when a transgender sophomore who goes by the name of June Watterson won the women’s slalom race in the California-Nevada Interscholastic Ski & Snowboard Federation on March 6.
“It’s one thing to read about these things happening in other places and quite another to witness it first-hand,” the father told the Daily Mail.
“This injustice to young women cannot continue anywhere, especially not on my doorstep.”
The man chose to be interviewed anonymously to protect his daughter’s privacy and avoid the “relentless backlash” that others have encountered who have spoken out against males competing in women’s sports.
“‘I’ll point out the obvious,” he said. “You ruin women’s sports by allowing males to compete in women’s sports.”
“‘Hormones and drugs are just introducing drugs into sport. It’s not fair on the girls,” he continued.
“It’s pretty clear to me or anyone with a brain that if you are going through or have gone through male puberty then you should only race against people who have gone through or are going through male puberty,” the father said.
“No amount of hormone therapy or re/deconstructive surgery will change the biological muscular and skeletal differences between those born with XX and those born with XY chromosomes,” he added.
“It’s going to get to a point where the top ten are all men.”
As recently as last year, Watterson competed on the boys’ ski team, the Davis Enterprise reported.
In fact, the Daily Mail reported, Watterson was still competing in the men’s division of cycling competitions this year, while competing as a female on the ski team.
⛷ Trans-identifying male, June Watterson wins CA girl’s ski race – competitor’s dad hits out
Davis Blue Devil Principle @BGeigle @CIFState‘s @MartyTeambitter & @GavinNewsom continue to discriminate against female athletes in CAhttps://t.co/bFYJLtavMF
— ICONS (@icons_women) May 27, 2023
Since 2013, the California Interscholastic Federation has been following “Gender Identity Participation” rules, which allow any transgender student to compete in sports and activities “consistent with their gender identity.”
Young people have been “brainwashed” into accepting the situation, the female athlete’s dad told the Daily Mail, adding, “I don’t blame the winning athlete.”
“This is a failure at the administrative level and higher,” he said.
“I can’t believe this has become an issue, the House of Reps introduced the bill to protect women’s sports but not a single democrat voted for it and it astounds me that this has become a partisan issue. We just need common sense.”
“The solution is obvious, have an open class in every sport so it doesn’t matter. Hopefully we can get there.”
Former 12-time NCAA All-American swimmer Riley Gaines, who has often been a lone voice crying foul against men competing in women’s sports, called attention last week to California’s high school preliminary track finals last week, where at least two transgender runners were expected to compete against girls.
“Organized groups and protesters showed up to the track event to express their opposition,” Fox News reported. “At least one of the protesters was eventually removed from the premises after they began yelling.”
When the two runners failed to show up for the meet, Gaines noted their absence in a Twitter post and speculated on the reason.
“Both boys (Athena Ryan and Lorelei Barrett) who qualified for the girls’ high school track and field state championship in California didn’t … compete in prelims today,” she tweeted.
Both boys (Athena Ryan and Lorelei Barrett) who qualified for the girls high school track and field state championship in California didn’t not compete in prelims today.
Did they realize they clearly possess an unfair advantage? Or is that too optimistic? pic.twitter.com/7zNMeYcNqg
— Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) May 27, 2023
“Did they realize they clearly possess an unfair advantage? Or is that too optimistic?”
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
