Oregon Girls File Lawsuit Against OSAA After Refusing to Stand with Trans Athlete
Two Oregon girls’ track and field stars, Alexa Anderson and Reese Eckard, are suing the Oregon School Athletics Association (OS. The lawsuit, filed after an incident during a state title meet, centers on the girls’ decision to refuse to stand on a podium with a transgender competitor. The incident occurred on May 31, when the girls stepped down from the podium in protest against what they describe as a ‘unfair competition environment’ involving biological male transgender athletes.
Footage of the protest went viral, with Anderson later telling Fox News Digital that officials ordered them to step away from the podium and avoid being photographed. The lawsuit alleges that the OSAA not only excluded them from official photos but also withheld their medals, potentially violating their First Amendment rights. Anderson emphasized her commitment to preserving ‘women’s sports XX’ and preventing the normalization of biological males in female competitions.
The lawsuit is part of a broader trend of legal battles over transgender athletes in high school sports, with Oregon facing its second lawsuit in a month. The girls are represented by the America First Policy Institute (AFPI), which has also filed suits on behalf of other Oregon athletes, including Maddie Eischen and Sophia Carpenter, who reported traumatic experiences competing with trans athletes. These legal actions highlight ongoing tensions over the inclusion of transgender athletes in girls’ sports and the rights of athletes to express their views on the issue.
Carpenter and Eischen described their experiences as ‘traumatic,’ with Carpenter stating she cried on the ride home after the Chehalem track meet. Despite fears of retaliation, these athletes are continuing their legal battles, potentially drawing significant national attention to the debate over transgender inclusion in sports, particularly at the high school level in Oregon.
The controversy has sparked a national conversation about the intersection of gender identity, athletic competition, and the rights of young athletes. As the legal cases unfold, they are likely to influence policy discussions and shape the future of transgender inclusion in sports at the high school level in Oregon.