Trans activists defend male student who injured female opponents in high school basketball game

KIPP Academy of Massachusetts is doubling down on defending a trans-identifying male student who injured multiple female opponents in a girls’ high school basketball game.

The girls’ team from the Collegiate Charter School of Lowell ultimately forfeited the game after 16 minutes, citing injuries to its players.

KIPP Academy has drawn withering criticism from advocates of female athletics for refusing to apologize for the injuries caused by allowing a trans-identifying male student to play on the girls’ basketball team – and for even insisting that the trans-identifying student has been the victim in the situation. 

“We condemn harmful comments being made online toward members of our community,” Rhonda Barnes, executive director of KIPP Academy, told Fox News, claiming the school does “prioritize maintaining student and staff safety above everything else.” 

Though the school has expressed support for the trans-identifying student, the KIPP Academy girls’ basketball team will reportedly not compete in playoffs this season despite qualifying. The school hasn’t said why it’s not participating in postseason play. 

The male student has garnered support among other trans activists, including the American Civil Liberties Union. An ACLU spokesperson called a viral video of the male student injuring Collegiate Charter School players “part of a coordinated attempt nationwide to try to remove LGBTQ people from public life.” 

Notably, reports have indicated the male athlete is not only part of the girls’ basketball team, but also competes in girls’ volleyball and track and field. The athlete has rewritten meet records for several girls’ events, including smashing the girls’ shot-put record by more than 8 feet. 

Collegiate Charter School forfeited the game against KIPP after girls feared that being injured by the male player, who stands at over 6 feet tall, would risk ending their season. 

“When the coach saw three more girls go down in the first half, leaving him with five players, he made the call to end the game early,” the Collegiate Charter School said in a statement. “The upcoming Charter School playoffs were looming, and he needed a healthy and robust bench in four days. 

“Once the third was injured, the remaining five expressed concern to him about continuing to play.” 

The Collegiate Charter School girls’ team isn’t the only recent case of female athletes refusing to endanger themselves by playing against a trans-identifying male. The girls’ basketball team from Mid-Vermont Christian School has been banned from participating in state athletics after forfeiting a game against a team with a male player. 

The school, which is being represented by Christian law firm Alliance Defending Freedom, has filed a lawsuit protesting its ban on the grounds of religious freedom, and that its female student athletes should not be forced to compete against males.