This petition relies on a wilful misunderstanding of transgender people and a complete disregard of the realities of gender-based violence. I participated in women's athletics at a Virginia college and say with certainty that any threat to my safety was never convoluted by someone 'pretending' to be trans. In fact, my safety would have been more secure with greater protections for my transgender peers.

The proposals in this petition aim to harm already marginalized individuals and the "protections" it claims to seek would only enforce a false and damning narrative that women are no more than their bodies and never will be.

As for the actual competition and the fairness of "male" bodies competing against "female" bodies, that is truly a non-issue, but also a question for athletic governing boards, not the health department.