Trans Teen Loses Scholarship Amid Controversy

Trans Teen Faces Scholarship Loss Amid Anti-Trans Activism

A transgender high school volleyball player reportedly lost her college scholarship after anti-trans activist Riley Gaines outed her on social media.

The 17-year-old had verbally committed to the University of Washington (UW) but faced public scrutiny after Gaines misgendered her and called for the scholarship’s revocation. Gaines, with over 860,000 followers, posted the teen’s photo and claimed that UW had rescinded the scholarship.

While Gaines provided no evidence of the coaches’ alleged lack of knowledge about the athlete’s trans identity during recruitment, she celebrated the power of “public opinion & accountability.” This incident has triggered right-wing attacks against the trans teen, perpetuated by media outlets and anti-trans sports organization ICONS.

LGBTQ+ activists defend the teen, highlighting that her transition occurred before puberty, eliminating concerns of unfair advantages in sports. Riley Gaines, known for her opposition to trans athletes, faced criticism for inciting bullying against a teenager. Social media users condemned both Gaines and ICONS for their actions.

_{Repurposed article originally published in LGBTQNation}