Controversy as transgender athlete wins overwhelmingly in high school track event

A high school track and field competition in Maine (USA) has sparked a wave of fierce controversy when Soren Stark-Chessa, a transgender athlete, biologically male, won the 800 meter and 1600 meter events for women.

Soren Stark-Chessa's overwhelming victory in high school track has become a controversial topic across the United States (Photo: 5k Sport).

The event took place on May 2 in Hiram, where Stark-Chessa, a junior at North Yarmouth Academy, bested a field of female runners, including Yarmouth High School’s Lilah Connor, who finished second in the 800 meters. As she crossed the finish line, Connor shook her head in disappointment. It was a small gesture, but it was one that carried bitterness and pain.

The backlash has since spread online, with many seeing it as evidence of injustice in American high school sports when transgender athletes are allowed to compete in women’s events.

One user on social media X wrote: "She (Connor) knows it's unfair, but if she speaks up she'll be punished. It's a shame for the girls who have to compete against men who have a clear biological advantage." Another added: "The disappointed look on the girl's face who should have won says it all. Shame on whoever let this happen."

A commentary posted on The College Fix even suggested that Stark-Chessa had intentionally slowed down so as not to win by too much of a margin, as the tournament was only a local competition between three schools.

Notably, just 18 months ago, Stark-Chessa was competing on the men’s track team. Since starting as a female, she has racked up impressive results in marathons, track, and cross-country skiing. In the fall of 2023, Stark-Chessa placed third in the Class C state championships and was named to the all-state team.

But those victories came with plenty of tears. “I hugged three girls and cried after that competition,” Chantal Mincey, a parent from Houlton, told The Daily Signal. “They love sports, but how can they continue to do that if they keep losing to someone who has a biological advantage? Their confidence is crushed.”

Results from a recent competition raised further doubts when Stark-Chessa finished 5th in the women's event, but her completion time compared to the men's category was only 162nd.

Many parents across the state have expressed concern. "My daughter trains every day, she has potential," said Chris Boyington. "But everything is threatened when a boy enters the competition." Cathy Ross, mother of two female athletes, warned: "If this trend continues, the top 10 in the women's event could be all men. What will be left of women's sports?"

According to The Washington Stand, in the past 19 years, transgender athletes (who are biologically male) have won more than 30 titles in women's tournaments across the United States. Most of them have occurred in recent years.

The wave of opposition to transgender athletes competing in women's events is growing (Photo: Maine Running).

The state of Maine is currently at the center of a legal dispute with the federal government. The Trump administration signed an executive order banning men from competing in women's sports, leading to a clash with the state's Governor Janet Mills. When threatened with a cut in federal funding, Mills declared, "I'll see you in court."

Last month, the U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against the state of Maine for failing to comply with federal Title IX sex discrimination in education laws. The department asked Maine to ban transgender athletes from competing in women’s competitions altogether, but state officials insisted that Maine’s civil rights laws allow transgender students to compete.

Meanwhile, the Maine Principals Association (MPA) has amended its regulations in 2023 to allow students to affirm their gender identity at school without requiring medical records or a transgender certificate. “We don’t make the law, but we have to follow the law,” said MPA Executive Director Mike Burnham.

US President Donald Trump has long taken a hard line on the issue. During his 2024 campaign, he stressed: "Men compete with men, women compete with women." His new executive orders use the biological definition of sex, not gender identity.

Meanwhile, Governor Janet Mills affirmed: "This issue is not about school sports or protecting girls as many people claim. This is a story about states' rights and protecting the law against the imposition of the federal government."

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/the-thao/tranh-cai-khi-vdv-chuyen-gioi-thang-ap-dao-o-giai-dien-kinh-trung-hoc-20250514130240494.htm