Olivia Viola, Parents Rebuke Newsom Over Trans Sports Policy as 65% of Californians Oppose It
Updated
Updated · Fox News · May 16
Olivia Viola, Parents Rebuke Newsom Over Trans Sports Policy as 65% of Californians Oppose It
3 articles · Updated · Fox News · May 16
17-year-old California track athlete Olivia Viola and her parents blasted Gov. Gavin Newsom after his office said he would "stand with all kids and stand up to bullies" in the fight over trans athletes in girls' sports.
Viola, set to face a trans competitor in the state tournament for a third straight year, said she was knocked out last season after that athlete broke her personal record and said girls opposing the policy are unfairly branded bigots.
65% of California adults, 64% of likely voters and 71% of public school parents support requiring transgender athletes to compete based on sex assigned at birth, according to a Public Policy Institute of California survey cited in the report.
The dispute is spilling into the governor's race: Viola said she plans to vote for Republican candidate Chad Bianco, who has pledged to cut funding to schools that allow males in girls' sports.
With the Olympics mandating genetic tests, will California's high school gender identity sports policy survive?
As international sports shift policy, what is the future for fairness and inclusion in California's school athletics?