The American Longboard Association has faced criticism for reversing their decision to allow transgender surfer Sasha Jane Lowerson to compete in an upcoming competition after pressure from the California Coastal Commission. Surfer Bethany Hamilton and journalist Megyn Kelly were among the critics of this decision.
Hamilton, who lost her arm in a shark attack and returned to surfing, expressed her disapproval of transgender athletes competing in women’s sports, stating that “male-bodied athletes do not belong in women’s sports.”
California state law allows for males in female surfing events. This is not fair game. I do not support this.
— Bethany Hamilton (@bethanyhamilton) May 10, 2024
Kelly sarcastically joked about giving women’s trophies to transgender athletes, emphasizing the priority of trans rights over women’s rights in the woke hierarchy.
Just give the men our trophies. Why do we deserve them anyway? It’s kinder and more inclusive for us to let them have them. Let them have our babies we grew in surrogates’ wombs too, despite their severe mental health issues. What matters is *their* need to *feel* like mothers,… https://t.co/jUYER6f1kk
— Megyn Kelly (@megynkelly) May 10, 2024
Kelly has previously criticized former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley for her stance on transgender individuals’ right to live as they choose.
The ALA’s decision to allow Lowerson to compete aligns with the Biden administration’s recently expanded Title IX rules, which includes transgender identities in the definition of sex.
This decision has sparked legal challenges from several states and advocacy groups opposing the new rules on transgender participation in sports.