South Carolina coach Dawn Staley said she believes transgender athletes should be allowed to compete in women’s sports.
CLEVELAND — South Carolina women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley She said Saturday that she believes transgender athletes should be allowed to compete in women’s sports.
At a news conference the day before the undefeated Gamecocks’ national championship game against Iowa, Staley was asked for her thoughts on the matter.
“I think if you’re a woman, you should play,” Staley said. “If you consider yourself a woman and you want to play sports, or vice versa, you should be able to play.”
The same question was then posed to Iowa coach Lisa Bluder.
“I understand it’s a topic that people are interested in, but today I’m focused on tomorrow’s game, my players,” Bluder said. “It’s an important game that we have tomorrow, and that’s what I want to be here to talk about. But I know that’s an important topic for another time.”
The subject has become a hot topic among conservative groups and others who believe transgender athletes should not be allowed to compete on women’s and girls’ sports teams. Last month, more than a dozen current and former female college athletes filed a federal complaint against the NCAA, accusing the college sports governing body of violating their rights by allowing transgender women to compete in women’s sports.
At least 20 states have approved some version of a blanket ban on transgender athletes playing on elementary, high school and college sports teams statewide, but a Biden administration proposal The ban on such absolute bans is expected to be finalized this year after much delay and resistance. As proposed, the rule would establish that general bans violate Title IXthe landmark Gender Equality Act enacted in 1972.
In 2022, the NCAA revised its policies on the participation of transgender athletes in what it calls an attempt to align with national sports governing bodies. The third phase of the revised policy adds national and international standards from sports governing bodies to NCAA rules and is expected to be implemented Aug. 1.
Staley, a prominent voice for women’s sports and a two-time AP Coach of the Year, She said she understood the political nature of the question and the reaction her answer might provoke.
“So now the Barnstormer people are going to invade my schedule and distract me on one of the biggest days of our game,” she said. “And I have no problem with that. I really do.”
