A transgender high school runner won a girls’ state championship but was booed, reports say.
On Saturday, May 18, at the Oregon School Activities Association track and field championship, Aayden Gallagher faced jeers as she won the 6A 200-meter state title for Oregon Girls.
Riley Gaines, a sophomore swimmer at McDaniel High School, posted a video on X (formerly Twitter) showing the crowd booing her as she crossed the finish line ahead of Aster Jones, a sophomore at Roosevelt High School.
According to The Washington Times, Gallagher finished ahead of Jones with a time of 23.82, and Jones was not far behind at 24.02.
Another proud moment for women's sports!
Aayden Gallagher (male) just placed 1st in the Oregon state championship in the women's 200m after placing 2nd in the 400m.
Just listen to the audible BOOS. People are over this…& it's about time. pic.twitter.com/HfJqF4AkzO
— Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) May 18, 2024
In the second video that Gaines posted, which featured her competitor accepting the award, the screams and positive praises were evidently louder. “Stop saying girls are okay with this because they aren’t. This is heartbreaking and deeply regressive,” she wrote.
Look at the girls on the podium applauding when 2nd place (the rightful winner) is announced.
Then watch them when the boys name is announced.
Stop saying girls are okay with this because they aren't. This is heartbreaking and deeply regressive. https://t.co/VmjeTtwgIk pic.twitter.com/5o36MbMICD
— Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) May 19, 2024
After finishing second in the 400-meter race to senior Josie Donelson of Lake Oswego High School, Gallagher achieved her second significant accomplishment of the weekend. According to The Washington Times, Gallagher finished with a time of 52.98, less than a second slower than Donelson, who finished with a time of 52.83.
Peter Weber, the executive director of the Oregon School Activities Association, has defended the group’s trans-inclusive policy.
In a letter to his critics, he stated that discrimination based on sexual orientation has long been illegal in Oregon.
In 2019, the Oregon legislature also changed the definition of “sexual orientation” to include “gender identity,” and the Oregon Department of Education revised its regulations to include “gender identity.”
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