Regardless of what anyone believes, a blanket ban on trans women's participation in women's athletics is, frankly, absurd. Shouldn't these decisions be made by the sports leagues and players themselves? 

Many sports show little to no difference in performance between men and women, let alone cisgender and transgender women. After all, hormone replacement therapy in transgender women substantially diminishes athletic performance, making them roughly on par with cisgender women. So why is a blanket ban appropriate? 

Decisions regarding athletics should be made by experts within any given sports league. Why should the beliefs of a few NCAA swimmers govern policy for every sports league of every age bracket and every skill level? The Virginia Board of Health shouldn't be involved in determining who is allowed in my friend Emily's softball league. 

This petition is not about safety or fairness. A safe, fair approach would involve careful consideration that ensures non-discriminatory treatment for all.