GENDER ABUSE: Taller and bulkier trans athlete injures three girls in high school basketball game

 A high school girls' basketball team in Massachusetts was forced to forfeit its game after a transgender player from the opposing squad injured three of its players.

The male-to-female (MTF) transgender athlete, who plays for KIPP Academy, injured three female players from the Collegiate Charter School of Lowell on Feb. 8.

Footage of the basketball match shows a taller and bulkier MTF transgender player, standing over six feet tall with facial hair, forcefully taking the ball from one of the Collegiate Charter players. This has caused the player to fall and visibly struggle in pain. 

This, in turn, sparked concerns about the safety of the KIPP Academy players. Collegiate Charter School officials also feared that further injuries could jeopardize their participation in the upcoming playoffs.

"The bench was already depleted going into the game, with the 12-player roster having four players unable to play," explained Collegiate Charter School spokesperson Casey Crane. "When the coach saw three more go-downs in the first half, leaving him with five players, he made the call to end the game early. The upcoming Charter School playoffs were looming, and he needed a healthy and robust bench in four days."

KIPP Academy was leading the game at the time, 31-14, and went on to extend its winning streak to 10 games.

Crane's statement supported coach Kevin Ortins' decision to forfeit the game at halftime, agreeing that it was necessary "to maintain safety for his team."

"The Charter School supports this decision and reiterates its values of both inclusivity and safety for all students," continued Crane. "We take the standards set by the MIAA [Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association] and our Board of Trustees seriously and strive to uphold them on and off the court. We also follow the guidance from the MIAA and state laws regarding equity and access for all student-athletes."

Massachusetts Athletic Association prohibits transgender athletes from participating if it gives team unfair advantage

According to Section 43.3.1 of the MIAA's handbook, "a student shall not be excluded from participation on a gender-specific sports team that is consistent with the student’s bona fide gender identity."

However, the handbook also notes that transgender individuals can be excluded on a case-by-case basis if their inclusion into a team's roster is meant to gain an unfair advantage, with the MIAA having the final determination on whether a student can participate in the gender-specific sports team.

Section 43.3.2 of the handbook reads: "When a school district submits a roster to the MIAA, it is verifying that it has determined that the students listed on a gender-specific sports team are eligible to participate either based on the gender listed on their official birth certificate or based on their bona fide gender identity and that no students are included on the roster solely for the purpose of gaining an unfair advantage in competitive athletics."