A Connecticut high school sophomore completely dominated a girls’ track and field event last week, a feat that has left many parents outraged in the process. That is because the teen is actually a male.
Terry Miller, who was born a male but identifies as a female, came in first place twice during the June 4 CIAC State Open track and field competition, after competing as a boy just months earlier. The Bulkeley High School teen set a new state record in each of the races.
Terry Miller of Bulkeley wins the 100m girls dash i. 11.72 (meet record). Andraya Yearwood of Cromwell 2nd, RHAM’s Bridget Lalonde 3rd #cttrack pic.twitter.com/4GmLRyicDI
— GameTimeCT (@GameTimeCT) June 4, 2018
“I feel good. I worked really hard this season,” Miller told NH Track & Field following the event.
But many parents have voiced their disapproval at the result, insisting that it is unfair to permit a biological male to compete against girls.
“I think it’s unfair to the girls who work really hard to do well and qualify for Open and New Englands,” Glastonbury sophomore Selina Soule told the Hartford Courant.
“These girls, they’re just coming in and beating everyone,” she added. “I have no problem with them wanting to be a girl.”
Indeed, Miller wasn’t the only transgender athlete to perform well at the competition. Andraya Yearwood, a biological male, took second place took second in the 100-meter dash after Miller.
The Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference has said that their gender identity policy is directly in alignment with state law and for their policy to change, state law would also have to change. Currently, athletes can compete for the gender with which they identify with. In other words, parental complaints won’t do any good here.
“Sports are set up for fairness,” said Soule’s mother, Bianca Stanescu. “Biologically male and female are different,” she said, adding that “the great majority is being sacrificed for the minority.”
Stanescu has garnered about 60 people to sign a petition calling for the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference to change its rules on gender.
Glastonbury track coach Brian Collins was one of those who chose to sign the petition.
“The way the law is written, Terry Miller is eligible to compete,” he said. “I think a lot of people, myself included, have a problem with … a biological male competing. When they put the state law in effect, my interpretation is it wasn’t made for high school sports. I think it was meant for all people — whether transgender, bisexual, gay — are treated fairly. I totally agree with that, but with sports it’s not a level playing field.”
Others said they thought it was totally fair that biological males were competing in the female races.
“If she identifies as a girl then I think she should be able to run in the race because she can use the ladies room, she can wear a skirt, why not run and play sports and stay active?” Hartford Resident Natasha Morgan said, as reported by WHDH-TV.
The CIAC has not shown any intention of changing the rules, which have been in force for about a decade.
(H/T: The Hartford Courant)