A high school in Massachusetts is refusing to apologize for playing a trans basketball player who reportedly “injured multiple players on the opposing team,” causing the rival school to forfeit.
Collegiate Charter School, based in Lowell, Mass., was playing against KIPP Academy Lynn on Feb. 8 when coach Kevin Ortins stopped play following halftime after seeing several of his players suffer injuries.
In a video shared on social media from the game, a Collegiate Charter player is seen fighting for a ball with the trans player KIPP before hitting the ground and sustaining an apparent back injury. The Collegiate player required assistance to make it back to her feet before the video ends.
The KIPP athlete is a biological male and, according to Fox News Digital, is more than six feet tall and has facial hair.
The name of the KIPP player has not been disclosed but reports suggest that they also have participated on the girls’ volleyball and track teams at the school.
Despite the outcry after the story went viral, KIPP Academy has refused to apologize for fielding the trans player and now has the backing of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).
The school also has slammed the comments made online about the incident.
“We condemn harmful comments being made online toward members of our community, and will continue to let the vision, mission and principles of our organization guide our actions,” a spokesperson for KIPP said.
Carol Rose, ACLU of Massachusetts executive director, said the clip is “part of a coordinated attempt nationwide to try to remove LGBTQ people from public life.”
She added that there are “hundreds, if not thousands” of trans students playing high school sports in the U.S. without issue and cautioned against using isolated incidents of alleged aggression against the fight for inclusion.
Several prominent opponents of the inclusion of trans athletes in women’s sports commented about the game.
Riley Gaines, a former NCAA swimmer who took up the issue after tying against trans athlete Lia Thomas, weighed in on X (formerly known as Twitter).
Trans-identified male player for Kipp Academy in MA injured 3 girls before half time causing Lowell Collegiate Charter School to forfeit.
A man hitting a woman used to be called domestic abuse. Now it's called brave.
Who watches this & actually thinks this is "compassionate,… pic.twitter.com/ZLlqYH6iAs
— Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) February 19, 2024