Utah high school student-athletes were surveyed for gender after winning a state-level competition. A spokesperson for the Utah High School Activities Association confirmed to CBS News on Thursday, "Authorities have confirmed that the student has been listed as female since entering kindergarten.
Spokesperson Dave" Spatafore confirmed the investigation that took place after the parents of the girls who won second and third place filed complaints through the UHSAA asking whether the winners were assigned to be female at birth. UHSAA officials confirmed that female athletes were eligible by checking student records from the current year back to kindergarten.
Spatafore said the association investigates all complaints it receives. "My parents were worried that there was no level playing field," he said.
To keep her identity private, authorities said they would not release the student's name, age, high school, or sports. I was. According to Spatafore, the student and his parents were unaware of the complaint and investigation "to his knowledge".
The news comes as debates continue in states across the country over whether a transgender student-athlete should be allowed to participate in the sports of her gender of choice on her team. was brought to In Utah , the fight reached the governor's desk after Governor Spencer Cox rejected a controversial bill banning transgender student-athletes from participating in women's sports. Just one day after him, Cox's veto was overruled by the state legislature, enacting the "Student Eligibility for Interschool Activities" bill.
In his veto, Cox cites that he had only four transgender student-athletes in the state at the time. None, and he was the only one of them. she was a girl
"I'm not an expert on transgenderism. I have a hard time understanding a lot of transgenderism and the science is contradictory. I try to err on the side of kindness, mercy and compassion. Compassion," Cox wrote in a letter explaining his decision. "In the event of an overriding veto, I hope we can find a way to show that we love these four children and that they have a place in our state.
The bill was scheduled to take effect during the 2022-2023 school year beginning August 30 in Utah. However, according to theAssociated Press,, the current lawsuit is challenging the state's ban, seeking to suspend the ban before it takes effect.
2022-2023 According to the UHSAA Handbook, transgender athletes are considered to be on the sports team of their choice. Authorized to play Qualified by school principals, school districts, and UHSAA. Students seeking eligibility must submit several forms and requests, including a list of current medications and confirmation from a medical professional. A transgender girl must have completed at least one year of her hormone therapy before being allowed to play on the girls' team.
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