What NCHSAA, Cumberland County said about NC bills that would block transgender athletes
The N.C. High School Athletic Association and Cumberland County Schools are on the same page when it comes to bills that could restrict transgender athletes in high school sports.
On April 19, N.C. Senate Republicans introduced Senate Bill 636, titled “An Act to Revise Oversight of High School Interscholastic Athletics.” It includes language that says the teams will be based on biological sex, determined by a student’s reproductive biology and genetics at birth.
In the same vein, House Bill 574 and Senate Bill 631 – dubbed the “Fairness in Women’s Sports Act” – would keep transgender athletes from playing sports for a team of the gender they identify with.
At least 20 states have passed similar legislation.
“As with all bills dealing with this topic, we are saddened that there will be barriers that will deny some students the opportunities to participate in education-based athletics in our member schools.” NCHSAA commissioner Que Tucker said in an email to The Fayetteville Observer.
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Lindsay Whitley, the associate superintendent of Cumberland County Schools, sent a similar message:
“We value the diversity that exists throughout our school system," he wrote to The Fayetteville Observer. "Providing a safe and welcoming learning environment for all students remains one of our top priorities.”
What’s the current transgender policy for the NCHSAA?
Current NCHSAA rules require transgender athletes to go through a lengthy process in order to participate in athletics.
After completing an eight-step checklist of gathering documentation, that paperwork is submitted to the NCHSAA, reviewed, and sent to the association’s Gender Identity Committee, which rules on whether the athlete will be allowed to play.
There have been 17 requests since the policy went into effect in 2019. Tucker said the Gender Identity Committee approved 16. Of those, two were born males identifying as females, she added.
Cumberland County Schools has not received any requests for referral to the NCHSAA gender committee, according to an email from Whitley.
“However, if any such requests had been received, they would have been automatically referred to that committee as the exclusive means of handling those requests under the system that has been in place,” he said.
Former UNC athletes support bill
While administrators have shared their disappointment about the bills' intent, some former women's athletes from the University of North Carolina want them to pass.
On April 20, they shared their reasons at an event on campus in Chapel Hill, hoping that the legislation could also include current and future college athletes in the state.
Carol Henry, a former All-American track and field athlete at UNC, was among them.
“My experience competing in sports as a female athlete has been invaluable and provided me with many opportunities that I otherwise would not have had. It taught me at a young age that hard work and self discipline pay off and instilled a sense of confidence that has allowed me to excel beyond sports,” Henry said.
“Additionally, many of my closest friendships were formed during my athletic career with other female athletes working towards a common goal, supporting one another – a bond that has proved to be irreplaceable. Competing and excelling in sports has had such a positive impact on my life. I urge you to keep women sports fair and give young girls of today the same opportunities and experiences I was so fortunate to have.”
What’s next for the NCHSAA?
The NCHSAA, which hosts its Board of Directors meeting on Tuesday and Wednesday, is in “wait and see” mode.
“Wait and see what bill passes and becomes law,” Tucker said.
As for what administrative steps would change if the bill goes into effect, Tucker said the NCHSAA won’t know until its Board of Directors “could review and study the new law.”
Either way, the NCHSAA and CCS are prepared to follow the state’s lead.
“Typically, as a public school district, we do not publicly comment on pending legislation,” Whitley said. “However, we follow laws once they are approved by the North Carolina General Assembly.”
Tucker added: “If the bill becomes law, the NCHSAA will do what we always do and that is obey the law.”
Staff writer Rodd Baxley can be reached at rbaxley@fayobserver.com or @RoddBaxley on Twitter.
This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: NCHSAA commissioner Que Tucker discusses transgender athlete bills
