(HorizonPost.com) – An Oregon transgender high school runner won the state title in the 200-meter girls 6A competition in Eugene last weekend, finishing the race in 23.82 seconds. However, the crowd in attendance at Saturday’s final broke out in boos when he crossed the finish line.
Gallagher’s participation in the finals sparked outrage on social media last week after his second-place finish in the 200-meter semi-finals with a time of 24.49 seconds qualified him to run in the finals.
The Oregon School Activities Association’s policy permits transgender athletes to participate in high school sports based on their “gender identity” as a way to provide “a fair and safe environment for all students.”
The OSAA claims that the policy promotes “harmony and fair competition” while increasing the number of students participating in interscholastic sports.
Following Gallagher’s win on Saturday, one mother whose daughter competed in the finals claimed in an interview that the OSAA will ban girls from high school athletics if they publicly speak out against allowing biological males to compete in girls’ sports.
The woman said her daughter, who is a high school senior, was forced to compete against Gallagher, whom she accused of taking spots away from girl athletes to get into the finals.
The woman argued that Gallagher did not deserve to win Saturday’s race and insisted that he be required to compete against other boys. She said that while she didn’t have a problem with Gallagher claiming to be transgender, she did not believe he had the right to take away from the girls.
When asked if people were afraid to speak out against Gallagher’s involvement, the mother said most parents have been afraid to say anything since the OSAA announced that if anyone discriminated against or “put anyone down” for being transgender, it could disqualify the athletes from competing in the events, even if it came from the parents.
She said her daughter had been training year-round since the fifth grade and said it was “not okay” for Gallagher to come in and “take it” from her.
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