Equality and Fairness? Transgender Athletes in High School Sports Now a Political and Campaign Issue
Terry Schilling, the executive director of the American Principles Project Foundation appeared on Monday's edition of CBN's Newswatch to discuss how the issue of transgender athletes in high school sports will be used by political campaigns in 2020. Newswatch is seen weekdays on the CBN News Channel. For a programming schedule, click here.
In the world of high school sports right now, the issue of transgender athletes is becoming a challenge, especially for female athletes forced to compete against boys who identify as girls.
It's also becoming both a political issue and a campaign issue.
In a television commercial that aired in Kentucky prior to last week's election for governor, the American Principles Project Foundation, a conservative think tank, and a political advocacy organization drove the point home.
"All female athletes want is a fair shot in competition," the young female announcer says. "At a scholarship. At a title. At victory" as the video shows female runners on a track preparing to race.
The guns sounds and the girls' race down the track. The video then shows a male runner running through the girls as they make their way down the track, eventually winning the race.
"What if that shot was taken away by a competitor who claimed they're a girl, but was born a boy," the announcer continued.
In an interview with CBN's Newswatch on Monday, Terry Schilling, the executive director of the American Principles Project Foundation, spoke about how the organization targeted Democrats and left-wing progressives on their weakest issues.
"And we thought that letting boys identify as girls and compete against girls in sports was one of those weakest grounds. And we found out that actually was the case," Schilling explained.
When CBN News asked why he thinks this issue resonated with Independent voters, Schilling replied, "I think there's a general sense of unfairness."
"Look, when we're discussing issues pertaining to the LGBT movement, it tends to be brought up in terms of equality and fairness. I think that most Americans understand that men and boys have an unfair athletic advantage over girls. I think that people know it's an unfair advantage in sports and should not be allowed," he said.
Schilling told CBN News he expected this issue will be brought up by more candidates in the 2020 campaign.
"Part of the reason we brought this up is because we have already seen national leaders such as Donald Trump, Jr. and others bring this up as something very unfair that's going on," he said. "It's something that's quite frankly kind of crazy. We're looking forward to using this issue in important elections such as Michigan, in Georgia, North Carolina. The voters there are very normal. They are very fair-minded and they are going to be voting on issues like this. And we're very excited for 2020 to come."
As CBN News reported in June, three female high school athletes filed a federal discrimination complaint against Connecticut's policy regarding transgender athletes. The girls claim they were racing at a disadvantage against their transgender opponent, a male who identifies as a female, impacting the final results of the race.
In 2017 the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference (CIAC) adopted a policy that allows biological males who identify as female to compete in girls' athletic events.
In August, the US Department of Education Office for Civil Rights confirmed they have granted the girls' request for an investigation.
Alliance Defending Freedom attorneys representing the athletes formally requested the investigation.
You can sign the ADF petition to encourage the Trump administration and members of Congress to safeguard the athletic and academic futures of young women across the country.
Watch this video from the Alliance for Defending Freedom promoting young women's rights.
