Human Rights Campaign Marks National Girls & Women In Sports Day, Urges Continued Acceptance of Trans Athletes

by Laurel Powell •

WASHINGTON—Today, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) civil rights organization, marks National Girls & Women in Sports Day.

Today, we celebrate National Girls and Women in Sports Day, marking an important moment for LGBTQ+ women. As someone who played volleyball and softball throughout high school, I know the value of playing sports - creating strong bonds, improving one’s confidence, and building leadership skills, among many other benefits. These should never be off limits to someone because of who they are -- and that includes transgender women and girls. As we continue our commitment to trans inclusion in sports, today we urge all champions of girls and women in sports to address the real issues facing us: pay equity, fairness in funding and equipment, and policies addressing sexual harassment and abuse.”

Joni Madison, Interim President of the Human Rights Campaign.

Over the past days and weeks, I’ve been heartened to see athletes from across sports, age groups, and geographical locations step up to show support for both trans athletes in general as well as the individuals in their own lives whom they call teammates and friends. Trans athletes deserve support, respect, and equality, and we won’t give up the fight to protect them.”

National Girls and Women in Sports Day, celebrated during the first week in February since its inception in 1987, recognizes women’s contributions to sports and society. As we mark this day, HRC recognizes the many athletes who have stepped up and defended the right of transgender girls and women to participate in sports - athletes like Stanford swimmer Brooke Forde and soccer phenom Megan Rapinoe, among many others.

In the pursuit of greater accuracy and respect, HRC offers guidelines for journalists and others who report on transgender people. For more information about HRC’s transgender justice work, visit hrc.org/transgender.

Contact Us

To make a general inquiry, please visit our contact page. Members of the media can reach our press office at: (202) 572-8968 or email press@hrc.org.

Topics:
Sports