At a recent school board meeting, I stood up to speak—not to argue, but to ask our community to refocus on the real challenges facing our students. What I witnessed that night was deeply troubling: a growing effort to target trans students and trans athletes, often based on fear, misinformation, and political rhetoric. We owe it to ourselves—and especially to our youth—to do better.
Let’s start with the argument I heard more than once: “Men should not compete against women.” On that, we agree. Men and women have biological differences that, in competitive sports, require clear boundaries to ensure fairness. But trans women are not “men competing against women.” They are individuals who, after deep personal struggle, have made the extremely difficult decision to transition—often after years, even decades, of psychological distress and marginalization.
Transition is not something anyone undertakes lightly. It typically involves rigorous mental health evaluations, hormone therapy, and often significant social and medical risks. Trans women who undergo hormone replacement therapy experience a dramatic decrease in testosterone levels—reducing muscle mass, strength, and endurance to levels much closer to those of cisgender women. Sports organizations like the NCAA and the International Olympic Committee have developed guidelines around these transitions for exactly this reason: to balance fairness with inclusion.
Another concern I heard was that trans people—particularly trans women—make locker rooms unsafe for women. Let me be clear: there is no credible evidence that trans people pose a danger to others in public restrooms or changing areas. In fact, trans people themselves are far more likely to be the targets of violence and harassment in these spaces. Suggesting that trans women are a threat reinforces dangerous stereotypes and ignores the real problem: the culture of misogyny and violence that already exists—and that no trans person created.
If safety is truly our concern, we should be talking about how to prevent sexual harassment, enforce consent education, and build respectful spaces for everyone. Frankly, most women would feel far safer in a locker room with a trans woman than with a certain male politician who has bragged about sexually assaulting women—and still holds office.
We can and should continue to have thoughtful discussions about fairness in sports. But let’s base those conversations on science, compassion, and truth—not fear. Let’s stop punching down one of the most vulnerable groups in our community and start lifting all people up.
Janice Mundee
Paso Robles
This article appears in May 29 – Jun 8, 2025.
The unfairness of requiring females to compete against males in athletics speaks for itself when you review the actual performances of the athletes, and the dramatic increase in successful competitions of mediocre male athletes when they begin competing against women. Personal struggles or preparation have nothing to do with it.
The problem of girls sharing a locker room with an anatomical male is not so much a “safety” issue, as a matter of respecting the personal spaces of sensitive and vulnerable young people. The difference is pretty hard to ignore in the showers. And I sort of doubt that anyone of any political orientation would be happy about having a certain orange politician sharing the showers with young girls, but that won’t change how they react to men in the showers generally.
As easy as it would be to waste ink writing on this subject, I’m more concerned about our economy. Transgender athletics and school locker rooms won’t matter much when public schools are shut down because of tax payer revolts and artificial intelligence.
At some point, when bailout after bailout has destroyed the dollar and we have to bring wheelbarrows of cash to the grocery store to buy a gallon of milk, as in Weimar Germany, homeowners will say enough is enough. For homeowners that are child free or empty nesters, they will ask themselves why their property taxes are so high to pay in part, for public education.
Rather than look at the three, empty, multimillion dollar, downtown parking structures used to facilitate dwindling shoppers to a dead business corridor, or the ridiculous salaries of certain public officials, these pissed off homeowners are going to blame the children and parents. They’ll vote Republican, they’ll vote fascist, and they’ll vote for technological tools to replace the human interaction so necessary for personal development that takes place on school campuses and instead, since they are child free, consider virtual reality headsets and Massive Online Learning, AI generated images and teachers, and AI generated content, as progress since it eliminates the tax “burden” they pay as a portion of their property tax used to pay for increasingly stretched school budgets.
As someone who has no biological children but does have a 19 year stepson that I’ve known since he was about six years old, I can understand where those without children may resent paying taxes that pay in part, the costs of public education. I get it. But what these people forget, is the fascist party they may find themselves attracted to is the very party that is attempting to starve the state of tax money by giving tax break upon tax break to corporations and the well-to-do. If our local, state, and federal government was properly funded, perhaps the costs of public education wouldn’t be shouldered so heavily on these bitter homeowners. LETS TAX THE RICH and give children the best education possible. LETS TAX THE RICH and build the country we all deserve.
John Donegan – no one, including girls, is required to compete against males in athletics. If someone doesn’t like or agree with the policies and guidelines of sports programs, they don’t have to participate in those sports. Taking that a step further, if a public school student doesn’t like the policies and guidelines of the public school they attend, they should talk with their parents about the possibility of home schooling or attending a private school that supports their personal ideologies. Public schools are required by law to include ALL children regardless of race, color, national origin, citizenship, immigration status, or the status of their parents/guardians. Public schools cannot discriminate against students based on their race, ethnicity, immigration status, or other protected characteristics, which includes LGBTQ students. And that includes school activities, such as sports. You’re right. This has nothing to do with personal struggles or preparation. It has to do only with the fact that our taxes fund a public education system for ALL children through 12th grade. That’s the law, in spite of the fact that elites and religious fanatics are trying to make our public schools available only for people who think and live like them so that their children are never exposed to anything outside of their narrow-minded, tunnel vision existence.
Regarding the personal spaces of sensitive and vulnerable young people, which you reference in this case of girls sharing locker rooms with anatomical males because the possible sighting of a penis may terrify them, I have no idea (and neither do you) if the anatomical males you refer to are transgender or transsexual. Maybe people should have a better understanding of the difference before speaking out about this topic. Personally speaking, when I was having to share locker rooms and showers with other girls in high school, I was very intimidated by having to look at other girls my age whose bodies were much more developed than mine. They already had big boobs and hips, which made me think there was something terribly wrong with me since I was a late bloomer. I find that much more traumatic than a glimpse of a penis because at least I wouldn’t have been comparing myself to them and coming up short, so to speak 😂. And let’s be honest. We live in a world where genitals of both sexes are in plain view in everyday cable tv shows and movies, which are easily accessed by people under 18 years of age. It’s not like the sight of a penis is a shock to anyone’s sensitivities anymore. We live in a culture that increasingly celebrates nudity, as evidenced by all of the female celebrities, AKA role models for young girls, walking the red carpets wearing basically nothing. But it’s also notoriously a pretty one-sided celebration. Somehow it’s ok for males to view naked females but the religious fanatics have decided that it’s wrong for females to see naked males. Another point not in their favor, the majority of women and girls dress to appease the male gaze, meaning that many girls don’t leave much of the female body to the imagination while out in public. So why would they be offended if a transgender saw their bodies in the locker room when they intentionally flaunt them in public?
To answer that question, they wouldn’t. The girls aren’t the problem. It’s the parents, the religious fanatics determined to force their personal beliefs onto everyone else by using methods that are about as far from Christian teachings as it gets. They are more than willing to viciously expose and use their own children and other peoples children as means to an end. This is not a brand new issue. Please look up Kristen Waggoner, President of Alliance Defending Freedom, and her daughter Grace’s tearful speech in front of another school board/city council almost 6 years ago that was scarily similar to the Duyst girl’s recent speech in front of the Lucia Mar School Board, which was planned and orchestrated to reach Fox News. These religious fanatics have an playbook and they are sticking to it. It worked for them to turn our Supreme Court into a conservative political and religious panel who then overturned Roe v Wade. But since that happened, they no longer can use abortion as their rallying cry so they turned to tormenting the transgender community. And that is the ONLY issue at the root of this debate over transgender students playing on girls sports teams. They are offended by even the thought of LGBTQ. But rather than deal with it as Jesus taught, with love and understanding, they’ve chosen hatred and bullying. If their issue was truly about safety and protecting their girls from alleged physical and mental harm, then they would also be strongly in favor of reasonable gun controls and stricter gun purchasing laws to keep lunatics from walking into classrooms and murdering their girls sitting at their school desks. But instead they are in favor of and vote for politicians controlled by the gun lobby who will never make our schools safe again by enacting laws for stricter gun control. That’s a level of hypocrisy I have yet to unlock.
SLIVINSKI
Not every gun owner is a Christian, most are law abiding citizens and the “gun lobby” isn’t much different than any other lobby. Further, not every Christian is a fanatic. Most just want to live a good life and in accordance with some good principles. Further, many hope that by doing so, they can bring some joy into an otherwise cruel world. Not many people are left in the world willing to stand for something even if it isn’t popular, Christians do. Christianity has turned people’s lives around when other methods have failed. I’ve known many Christians who are reformed drunks or drug addicts. That’s pretty powerful if you ask me. I wish people would quit slandering all Christians because of the behavior of a few zealots. Do I agree with everything written in the Bible, no. But no one said we had to, lol. It’s there for anyone to examine, as are most revered texts. There’s a message in the Bible, you can take it or leave it. Me? I’ll take it. I’d like to know that our lives matter to Someone and that none of us were created by chance. There is a purpose to life and meaning behind all the chaos.
You’ve pretty much touched on every hot button issue, congratulations. The 2nd Amendment is there for a reason, if it wasn’t for an armed public, who knows how far the government would go. I’m glad the NRA exists.
FLY
Once again, please try to spell my name correctly. I know it seems difficult but maybe give it a go anyway.
Thanks once again for pointing out the obvious. I never said every gun owner is a Christian. Nor did I say every Christian is a fanatic. I never even referred to anyone as Christian fanatics. What I did say, for the reading comprehension impaired, was “religious fanatics.” Is someone in this thread “slandering Christians”? I must have missed that. As far as you saying you don’t agree with everything in the Bible because no one says you had to, I’m pretty sure the Christian God says you have to believe everything in the Bible. I don’t think you get to cherry pick the things you want to agree with then forget everything else it says. But then again, that’s what many Christians do these days so congratulations. You fit right in.
And I hate to be the one to bring this to your attention but an “armed public” is no match for our government’s military should they choose to “go far.” An “armed public” is not what stops our government from using the military to subdue or attack us. Our constitution is what stops the government from doing this. But cheer up. Our current administration doesn’t believe they have to answer to our constitution and rule of law so you may get your chance to prove me wrong.
sLuuVYnSkeE:
I could be wrong, professor, but I never said I was a Christian. I said the Bible has a powerful message and we would be wise to consider it. I’m proud to call Christians my friends and colleagues. FYI, I have literally helped build a mosque in the blazing sun on the island of Sumatra [https://maps.app.goo.gl/Vo2VB33NhRpeXLTJA]. so please take take your assumptions and…
This is pretty much why I try and ignore your posts on this platform.
Guns don’t kill people, people kill people. The majority of gun owners are responsible law abiding citizens. I abhor gun violence but I’m not going to throw the baby out with the bath water.
As for your summation that “…And I hate to be the one to bring this to your attention but an armed public is no match for our governments military should they choose to go far.” Need I bring to your to your attention what the Viet Cong did and how they beat our military using nothing more than AK 47s, sharpened bamboo sticks, and courage? How about the Afghans against the Soviet Union? How about Afghans against us recently? So yeah, small arms can win asymmetric warfare.
You are so clever to misspell my name so badly, Fly. What grade are you in and does your mommy know you are in her basement harassing people online?
Well, I know I am not wrong when I NEVER said you were a Christian. Do you ever read the actual printed words or do you just hear weird words in your head and let yourself get so triggered by what you imagine you are reading?
Seriously, get some new material regarding guns dont kill people, people kill people. People who kill people by shooting them could not have done so without a gun, yes?
And honestly, I have not had such a good laugh in a long time as I had when reading your argument using the Vietnam Cong and Afghans as examples of how to win wars against the U.S. with nothing more than sharpened bamboo sticks and courage – hilarious! Try stating facts, such as the U.S. military was not defeated in Vietnam as they never lost any significant battle, including the Tet Offensive. Neither the Viet Cong nor the Afghans actually won any asymmetric warfare against the U.S. Withdrawing our troops due to public sentiment and the escalating costs of deploying our military for years where we didnt belong does not amount to losing a war. But keep thinking that by arming yourself, you can fight off our military should our government ever choose to use it on their own citizens. Smart money is on our military in that scenario.
How did I so completely forget that you are one of those people my parents warned me to never engage with? Trying to have a reasonably sane discussion with someone who makes no sense at all is a complete waste of time. Like Mark Twain said, Never argue with stupid people, they will drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience. So Ill tap out of this ridiculous discussion now
Well, I’m glad you feel better, lol. And yes, the VC won, wearing nothing more than pajamas and sandals. We lost in Afghanistan, as did the Soviets. Our exit from Afghanistan was as ignominious as our exit from the embassy rooftop in Vietnam. You don’t have to like it, but it’s a fact, we accomplished nothing and left billions in equipment over there for your friends, the Taliban.
Our defense department is nothing more than a giant black hole we throw our future into. As Smedley Butker, two time Medal of Honor winner and Marine Corp Major General said, “I believe in adequate defense at the coastline and nothing else. If a nation comes over here to fight, then we’ll fight. The trouble with America is that when the dollar only earns 6 percent over here, then it gets restless and goes overseas to get 100 percent.” As a veteran, I couldn’t agree more. This is real Conservatism and what we need. If you think it’s bad now, wait till the midterms where, if they’re lucky, Democrats might actually be able to take back one of the chambers. It’ll just be pure gridlock at that point. During a time where we will need it most, neither party will do anything for anyone other than their donors. Americans will be starving, unemployed, and very angry.
My prediction is that the federal government will be reduced to this: the IRS, Federal Bureau of Prisons, and Department of Defense. Looks like Grover Norquist will have gotten his way and drowned government in a bathtub.
Well isn’t that special, calling me “stupid” this time and last time using a sexist term and accusing me of “man-splaining.” Who’s being obnoxious? I’ve never called any “stupid” or anything like that. I may critique their ideas, but there’s never any need to make it personal. That’s the hallmark of someone who has ran out of ideas. Read a book.
@M Slivinske: Defending the unfairness of requiring girls to compete against boys in athletics by saying that they aren’t required to compete in sports and can instead just not participate, makes as much sense as telling Rosa Parks that she didn’t have to ride the bus, and could have instead taken an Uber or something. Everyone is entitled to the same treatment, and no one group should be excluded from public benefits in order to accommodate the wishes of another group. The male athletes are fully entitled to compete in male sports, regardless of how they identify, although they may not enjoy the competitive benefits they have competing against females. Title IX was intended to give women equal access to competitive sports, and it is ironic to hear liberals now saying that they should just not participate if they don’t want to go along with the left’s latest big, new thing.
John Donegan – I was not defending the unfairness at all. I was disagreeing with your choice of terms: required. And I stand by that. No one is required to compete against anyone. It is a choice, yes? Using your example, Rosa Parks did not have to ride that bus. She chose to, yes? And she chose to ride that bus to make a point about being legally excluded from riding that bus because of the color of her skin. But I am not sure I understand the point you are trying to make with that example unless it is the same point I am making, which is yes, everyone is entitled to the same treatment and no one group should be excluded from public benefits to accommodate the wishes of another group. That is exactly the point. I never said students who are against playing on teams with transgender students should be excluded from playing. It’s their choice to play or not. But why should transgender students be excluded from competing on the team they identify with in order to accommodate the bigoted wishes of another group? The fact that you still think that people choose to identify with the opposite gender assigned to them at birth just so they can enjoy competitive benefits and advantages in sports clearly indicates you have zero understanding of this issue at all. And it’s extremely ironic that you refer to this issue as the left’s latest big, new thing when it is the right-wing conservative bullies who have turned this transgender student issue into a huge, politicized mess.
“…the lefts latest big, new thing,” never includes economics. What it does include is a willingness to collude with the right and give defense contractors any amount of money they want, all at the expense of social spending.
For the working class AND college graduates, the economy has collapsed and will never recover. Where is this era’s FDR? Where is our New Deal? We are living in Orwell’s “1984” with permanent war. We left Afghanistan a few years ago and almost immediately shoveled THREE HUNDRED AND FIFTY BILLION DOLLARS to Ukraine and the defense industry. These defense contractors need war. There are almost no men left in Ukraine, all that’s left of them are bits of flesh on the battlefield.
I’m 54yo, what happened to the left? It’s denigrated into petty squabbles over a boy’s right to wear a dress or a girl’s right to wear pants? The most important issue I grew up with was peace and an end to nuclear weapons.
Our government has morphed into an all seeing fascist regime with secret police. As grateful as I am for an end to mass, illegal immigration, I’m concerned ICE will become an American gestapo. Now it’s illegals, next they’ll come after anyone able to read.
Our economy is complete garbage and the rich don’t pay taxes as they wrap themselves in the flag. If we aren’t careful, our entire country and the world could go up in a giant mushroom cloud. Capitalists want to break up Russia to steal its natural resources. Russians are valiantly defending their homeland against an unelected Ukrainian dictator and corporate predators, much like we did against King George and his army in our nation’s birth.
No one is buying the bonds our government sells to fill the perpetual budget deficit. Therefore, our politicians are ending social spending to cut costs. We have got to cut out the cancerous growth of defense spending, shut overseas military bases, mothball half the Navy, fire all the staff in the Pentagon, apologize to the world, and turn every single one of our swords into a plowshare.