Two California high school students, Taylor Starling and Kaitlyn Slavin, along with their families, have initiated legal action against their school and district, citing violations of their First and Fourteenth Amendment rights and Title IX protections. The lawsuit stems from a controversy surrounding a transgender athlete competing on the girls' cross country team at Martin Luther King High School in Riverside.
Starling, who lost her varsity spot to the transgender athlete, and Slavin expressed their surprise and unease about the situation. They described the experience as "confusing" and "crazy," highlighting the unprecedented nature of competing against a biological male.
The situation escalated when the girls wore "Save Girls Sports" shirts to school in protest. They allege that school administrators compared the shirts to swastikas, leading to the lawsuit against the Riverside Unified School District (RUSD). This action sparked a widespread protest, with hundreds of students and community members donning the shirts, transforming the apparel into a national symbol for the protection of female athletes. The controversy has thrust the girls, their families, and their community into the national debate surrounding transgender inclusion in women's sports.
Both girls have reported a mix of positive and negative attention. While they've received messages of support and gratitude for their stance, they and their friends have also faced harassment, including verbal abuse and physical intimidation, for wearing the shirts. Slavin, who has always found solace in sports, expressed feeling stressed and emotionally affected by the ongoing situation.
Starling alleges the transgender athlete uses the girls' restroom and has been allowed to compete on the varsity team despite reportedly missing practices regularly. This claim is supported by other parents who have spoken to media outlets. According to Starling's father, administrators responded to concerns by stating that "transgenders have more rights than cisgenders." The RUSD, however, maintains that its actions are compliant with California state law.
The girls' protest, initially met with disciplinary action from the school, including dress code alterations and detentions, gained momentum. Eventually, the school ceased disciplinary measures as the number of students wearing the shirts swelled to over 400, with the trend spreading to other schools in the district.
Despite the school's shift in policy regarding the shirts, Starling, Slavin, and their attorney, Julianne Fleischer, stated during a press conference that the school still maintains they are not permitted to wear them. The controversy reached a boiling point during a heated school board meeting on December 19th, where opposing groups of activists and parents clashed. Reports of harassment and disruption from LGBTQ activists targeting "Save Girls Sports" protesters, including a women's prayer group, emerged.
The contentious school board meeting, lasting nearly five hours, featured emotional testimonies from both sides of the issue. Pro-trans speeches were often met with cheers and the display of pride flags. The RUSD reiterated its commitment to complying with California state law, which prohibits discrimination based on gender identity and expression, and attributed its handling of the situation to these legal obligations. They also suggested that protests should be directed towards officials in Washington D.C. and Sacramento who have the power to change the laws. The ongoing legal battle and national debate coincide with federal legislation, the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, making its way through Congress, aiming to ban transgender athletes from competing in girls' and women's sports.
