McNabb’s full testimony can be found HERE once the hearing begins.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Independent Women announced today that Payton McNabb, sports ambassador for Independent Women and former high school athlete, will testify before the U.S. House Oversight Committee’s Subcommittee on Delivering on Government Efficiency on the discrimination and dangers of allowing men to compete in women’s sports.
The hearing, titled, “Unfair Play: Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports,” will begin at 2:00 p.m. ET on Wednesday, May 7. During this hearing, the Subcommittee will evaluate policies by governing bodies that allow men to participate in women’s sports and how they contradict federal law—in particular, the 53-year-old landmark civil rights law Title IX.
In her testimony, McNabb writes, “I want you all to know that this issue is very real. I didn’t realize how big it was until it personally affected me. What we are talking about is reality and basic truth. Men have an inherent biological advantage over women when it comes to sports. This is undeniable.”
McNabb will discuss:
- What playing sports has meant to her and the benefits of high school athletics;
- The traumatic brain injury she suffered from a trans-identifying male athlete; and
- Her new purpose growing her advocacy footprint to protect women’s sports after an avoidable injury cost her a college career.
During her testimony, McNabb will share her story with Congress, addressing:
- The biological realities and truth surrounding men playing in women’s sports;
- The importance of President Trump’s historic “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports” Executive Order; and
- The need for Stand With Women legislation in all 50 states to protect women and girls. Currently, 27 states have enacted laws to protect women’s sports, and more than a third of states have adopted laws inspired by Independent Women to define sex-based words—like “woman” and “man”—to preserve single-sex spaces and opportunities.
“In high school, I played volleyball, basketball, and—my favorite sport—softball. I was excited at the prospect of playing softball in college. But that day never came. My athlete career was hindered and cut short because I was forced to compete against a male athlete on an opposing high-school women’s volleyball team on September 1, 2022,” McNabb will say in her testimony.
Witnesses at this hearing will include:
- Ms. Payton McNabb, former high school volleyball player and Independent Women sports ambassador
- Ms. Stephanie Turner, competitive fencer
- Mr. Damien Lehfeldt, chairman of the board, USA Fencing (subpoenaed)
DETAILS:
WHAT: House Oversight Committee hearing, “Unfair Play: Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports”
WHEN: Wednesday, May 7, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. ET
WHERE: HVC-210 in the House Visitors Center
Media inquiries: [email protected]
McNabb’s full testimony will be available HERE after the hearing begins.
Payton McNabb Background:
In September 2022, McNabb, a three-sport athlete and then high school senior, was permanently injured when a male volleyball player on the opposing women’s team spiked a ball at her head. The hit left McNabb laying unconscious and in a fencing position on the court. The injury caused partial paralysis and other cognitive issues that doctors say may never resolve.
Shortly after the incident, McNabb began using her voice to call for change, joining Independent Women as a sports ambassador to speak out alongside Riley Gaines and other female athletes. Since then, McNabb’s advocacy footprint has exploded; she has turned her pain into purpose and is recognized as a prominent voice in the fight for women’s sports.
This year, Payton was invited to the nation’s capital to join President Trump for the signing of his Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports Executive Order; to speak at a women’s sports roundtable led by U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi; and as a special guest at President Trump’s Joint Address to Congress.
McNabb’s story continues to drive support for women’s sports, standing as a testament to the tragic consequences of denying women and girls the right to single-sex athletics. Independent Women Features, the grassroots storytelling and original journalism project of Independent Women, recently highlighted McNabb’s story in a documentary—“Kill Shot: How Payton McNabb Turned Tragedy Into Triumph”—featuring original raw footage of the spike to McNabb’s head and first-time interviews with her parents and sister Avery.
Watch Payton’s Story here.
McNabb’s story served as a touchpoint throughout the 2024 election cycle, as President Trump referenced McNabb’s story multiple times on the campaign trail to showcase the gravity of what female athletes are facing and underscore his commitment to Stand With Women.
As a sports ambassador for Independent Women, McNabb continues to expose the harms of gender ideology and the critical need for equal athletic opportunity. McNabb has been instrumental in providing testimony and support as Independent Women has advanced legislation in states both to define sex-based words and codify protections for women’s sports. She toured the country as a part of the Our Bodies, Our Sports “Take Back Title IX Summer Bus Tour” that Independent Women organized, and spoke in front of thousands of Americans, including aspiring, young female athletes.
Learn more about Independent Women Features’ storytelling campaign to fight for fairness in women’s sports, which has amplified the stories of other female athletes who have felt compelled to lend their voice to the fight to save women’s sports and end the discrimination of women here.