In 1974, my high school in New York put in a 25-yard indoor pool. I joined the first swim team which consisted of boys and girls. The girls competed with the boys for two years. I practiced and improved my swimming skills, but never won a race against the boys.
After two years, we were able to establish our own women’s team. My senior year, I was chosen as captain for the women’s team. It was a dream come true to compete against other women who loved the sport of swimming.
Today, this school district has a winning women’s swim team and an amazing aquatic center. I cannot imagine the many young women who have participated in this amazing legacy, what their experience would have been if “men identifying as a women” were allowed to compete.
This story would not be filled with young women’s swimming records on the walls of their high school and for some, a college scholarship. Instead, men’s names would be there based on their biological strength. Many amazing women would have be silenced and would have had to take a back seat to a man.
I want what is right and fair to all women and this can only be achieved with an absolute ban on biological males participating in women’s sports, at all levels.