Bans On Transgender Athletes Should Move Christians to Compassion
Earlier this month, Bruce Blakeman, the Nassau County executive, claimed to put a ban in place that would prohibit transgender girls and women in sports. This executive order is set to go into effect immediately, according to Blakeman’s office. According to ABC News, Blackman stated, “Women and girls hard work, on-field achievement, and athletic futures deserve to be fostered, nurtured, and celebrated.”
This happened on the heels of an incident that took place in Massachusetts when a transgender player from KIPP, a biological male, injured three female players in a high school basketball game against Collegiate Charter School. According to CBN, a statement was posted by the Collegiate Charter School stating, “In every effort to maintain the safety of his team, the coach decided to forfeit.” The coach, Kevin Ortins, went on to say that they take standards set by the MIAA (Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association) seriously and strive to uphold them on and off the court. The KIPP athletic director, Anthony Grimaldi, declined to answer or comment at this time and merely stated they were looking forward to the next game, according to Daily Item.
The news rightfully ruffled the feathers of Riley Gaines, a former college swimmer who now advocates for fairness in women’s sports. She immediately took to X, issuing a bold and passionate statement claiming, “A man hitting a woman used to be called domestic abuse. Now it’s called brave. Who watches this and thinks this is ‘compassionate, kind, and inclusive’?”
Trans-identified male player for Kipp Academy in MA injured 3 girls before half time causing Lowell Collegiate Charter School to forfeit.
A man hitting a woman used to be called domestic abuse. Now it’s called brave.
Who watches this & actually thinks this is “compassionate,… pic.twitter.com/ZLlqYH6iAs
— Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) February 19, 2024
Yet, LBGTQ+ activities and supporters, such as the Movement Advancement Project, an equality map site for the inclusion of all athletes, take another stance. The independent and non-profit association states that while many schools and state athlete associations have regulations that protect transgender people and ensure them a spot on the roster, these blanket bans on transgender people are both unnecessary and harmful.
However, further investigation has proven that the physical advances men have over women are quite alarming, deeming the women’s rights advocates’ concerns understandable and valid. According to The National Library of Medicine, a recent study of equally trained biological men and women athletes proved that men have more muscle mass and are physically 40-75% stronger with more powerful performances than their female counterparts.
It isn’t hard to see that we are living in a time where confusion and brutal attacks on our identity are running rampant. The gap between a Biblical view and a secular view of sexuality seems to be growing wider by the day.
How should Christians respond?
First, we need to recognize that God had a distinctive plan for when He made us male and female (Genesis 1:27, 2:22, 5:2).
It was all a part of His biological design. While equally valued in God’s eyes, each gender holds different attributes and unique qualities for a purpose. We are to embrace these roles and live in accordance with God’s will, trusting His plan for us as men and women (Genesis 2:18, Ephesians 5:22-33, 1 Corinthians 11:3).
If we live in a world where God is not front and center, we will continue to see issues like this emerge. After all, we are in a war against God’s Word and reality, so we cannot blur the lines here. There is no place for transgender athletes to participate in women’s sports without consequences. Just as sports are divided by age and classification, we must also acknowledge biological differences. For competitions to be legitimate and fair, we must stick to stricter guidelines in all fairness and safety.
That said, as Christians, we are called to show compassion. The Bible is clear that we are to be the salt and light of this world (Matthew 5:13-16). As a community of believers, we must openly display the love of Jesus and share the hope we have in a lost and dark world.
Let’s pray:
Father, we ask for Your mighty and loving hand over Your daughters who have been blessed and given the gift of athletic abilities. Put a hedge of protection around them and make a way for integrity, fairness, and equality to be a part of the game. Also, it gives us the means to display compassion to all athletes and share truth with dignity and grace. Amen.
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