Fury after five WV middle school student who protested a trans athlete's ... trends now
Five West Virginia middle school students who protested a trans athlete's participation in a shot put competition have been banned from future competitions.
Becky Pepper-Jackson, 13, competed in the Harris County Middle School Track and Field Championship on April 18, two days after a federal appeals court ruled West Virginia’s transgender sports ban violates the teen's right under Title IX.
Five girls from Lincoln Middle School stepped up to the circle for their turn, then refused to throw the ball.
West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey has filed a lawsuit against the Harrison County Board of Education on the student's behalf after they were banned from future events.
'I will do everything in my power to defend these brave young girls. This is just wrong. We must stand for what’s right and oppose these radical trans policies,' Morrisey said on Monday.
Five girls from Lincoln Middle School who refused to compete against a transgender athlete during a shot put competition on April 18 have been banned from future competitions
Becky Pepper-Jackson, 13, competed in the Harris County Middle School Track and Field Championship and took home first place in the shot put competition with her 32-foot effort
West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey has filed a lawsuit against the Harrison County Board of Education on student's behalf
The Attorney General posted his tweet in response to Women's rights activist and former college swimmer Riley Gaines, who has stood by female athletes who have refused to compete against transgender athletes.
'These girls stood up for what they believed and their coach barred them from competing. Insane,' Gaines said.
'It's dangerous to teach young girls to ignore the threats their eyes and ears are warning them of. How do some call this "progress"?'
It's unclear why the school or district banned the girls from future events for their recent protest that saw them walk up to the box to throw the shot put before leaving without a toss.
On Wednesday, Gaines posted a video of one of the five athletes that was involved in the protest speaking at a press conference about the incident.
The teen said: 'Luckily, I found four lovely young girls willing to take a stand with me.'
'We hope that it opens eyes to many more to see that this is not right and the situation is eventually going to kill women's sports forever,' she added.
After the competition, Pepper-Jackson took home first place in the shot put competition with her 32-foot effort, three feet further than second place, and she placed second in discus.
Despite being legally allowed to compete, the five athletes protested Pepper-Jackson's participation by refusing to play against her.
Gaines previously tweeted a video of the protest and said 'It's a sad day when 13-14 year old girls have to be the adults in the room, but I couldn't be more inspired by and proud of these girls.'
Pepper-Jackson won her years-long struggle to compete in sports after West Virginia Governor Jim Justice banned transgender athletes from competing in middle school, high school and college in May 2021.
Women's rights activist and former college swimmer Riley Gaines, who has stood by female athletes that have refused to compete against transgender athletes, has disagreed with the athletic ban against the five athletes
Despite being legally allowed to compete, some athletes protested Pepper-Jackson's participation by refusing to play against her. Pictured: Girls from Lincoln Middle School stepped up to
