A predominant theme these days is how awful it is to deny transgender girls the right to play on a girls’ team. Sorry, but I do not agree. These transgender girls can play on the boys’ team. They are not excluded from sports.

I fought for the passage of Title IX, which gave girls and women the right to even have a team to play on. The transgender movement is an attempt to take that away from our girls and women. It is the tyranny of a very small minority.

Biological males have attributes that give them a competitive advantage in size and strength, an advantage that varies by sport, but it exists. Maximum oxygen uptake matters, related to heart and lung development, starting early in life. It doesn’t have to be a contact sport such as football, where size and strength clearly matter.

In swimming, for example, height matters. Yes, a few girls have successfully played on boys’ teams and hopefully they will continue to be successful doing so. There are no rules to help them do that.  I hope to see all young people play sports, but it is important to leave our girls teams alone.

Finally the NAIA has recognized this. The NCAA needs to do so, as well. I applaud our state legislators who have recognized the importance of excluding biological males from our girls’ teams. Testosterone blockers are not sufficient to undo years of its existence in creating height, strength, size of heart and lungs that are so important in determining athletic ability .

Gail Cromwell

Temple