Nine University of Nevada volleyball players participated in a “Women’s Sports are for Women Only” rally Saturday headlined by the state's lieutenant governor and Stavros Anthony and former University of Kentucky swimmer and activist Riley Gaines.
As reported by the Las Vegas Review-Journal, the Wolf Pack players were slated to play San Jose State University at noon, but became the fifth team to forfeit to the Spartans on Thursday night as part of their ongoing protest against the participation of transgender women in sports.
The event, held at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center, was organized by the Independent Council on Women’s Sports, which is funding a lawsuit against the NCAA’s inclusion policies. SJSU team captain Brooke Slusser joined the lawsuit in September, stating she wanted teammate Blaire Fleming off the team on the allegation that she is transgender. Slusser’s name was met with cheers when mentioned during the rally.
Anthony, a Republican, took the stage to say he wants to pass legislation against the inclusion of transgender athletes for women’s protection. Sam Brown, the Republican nominee for a Nevada U.S. Senate seat, was among the 433 people who attended.
The nine UNR players who took the stage all wore “BOYcott” T-shirts. Wolf Pack team captain Sia Liilii’s told the crowd she said UNR was dismissive of players who released a statement forfeiting to San Jose State by saying they didn’t understand the science.
“We are educated enough, and we do understand the difference between a male and female athlete,” Liilii said, as reported by Callie Fin of the Review-Journal. “So my question to the NCAA and the Mountain West conference is: How many young women will have to be beaten or see their friends beaten out for an opportunity from a male?”
UNR’s players focused their remarks on what they described as the danger of playing against transgender athletes. Some cited various instances of girls allegedly sustaining career-ending injuries at the hands of transgender opponents.
Gaines called NCAA president Charlie Baker “weak-kneed, spineless and morally bankrupt” for failing to take a stance on the organization’s inclusion policies, which were adjusted in 2022 before his tenure began, Fin reported.
Under the updated policy, transgender athletes’ participation for each sport is determined by the hormone regulations set by each sport’s global governing body. Gaines also “called out” Mountain West Conference commissioner Gloria Nevarez. “Do the right thing,” Gaines said. “Stop treating girls and women as an afterthought.”
Before the rally, Liilii told the Review-Journal she was initially hesitant to speak out the way she has.
“Before coming out and releasing the statement with my name on it, I was pretty scared, because I didn’t know how people would react to this controversial topic, and I didn’t want to be seen as someone who has hate or any animosity. But the amount of support makes it all worthwhile.”
