According to the UN, nearly a thousand women have lost medals in their sports recently due to males intruding into their divisions, seemingly concentrating themselves only in sports where males typically have an advantage. It can be easy for us to dismiss this as “unimportant” because, to most of us, sports are simply a hobby. But for these women, it is their career and their livelihood. And for girls who are growing up, school sports are often their only opportunity for physical development in a world that still often excludes girls from activities. They are having their growth and careers destroyed by unfair competition which violates existing rules against male participation, simply on the basis of male feelings. This is far from the first time that male feelings have been prioritized above female well-being and safety, but we should be better in 2025 than to continue indulging in the sexist idea that women are simply a sacrifice at the altar of male validation.

It is also important that women and girls regain access truly single-sex spaces, because the reasons we created them in the first place are still true: males are dramatically more likely to be violent, and especially so when they have isolated access to girls and women, such as in changing rooms. There have been numerous studies proving that trans-identified males are just as likely to commit violent crimes as any other male, and even that they disproportionately commit sex crimes in particular. Here is one from Sweden and the UK, and here is one from Canada. All three of these countries are progressive, generally pro-trans rights countries, and yet when the research is done, the result is clear: claiming a gender identity does not change sex-based behavioral patterns, such as violence. Virginia should know this better than anyone, as we have our own experiences with trans-identified males assaulting girls in private spaces. This is far from an isolated case.

Everyone is entitled to dress, refer to themselves, work, and live in peace. But they are not entitled to encroach on other people’s boundaries, and there is nothing progressive about the new sexism of sacrificing women and girls for male feelings. Sex matters, and is immutable. Women and girls deserve to have safety, equal educational opportunities, and equity in their careers, all of which are more important than feelings. This requires us to reassert a commitment to single-sex sports and spaces. I support the petition and its importance for female equality.