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November 12, 2021
The GenderCool Project, a US youth-led movement replacing misinformed opinions with positive experiences, has launched a national education campaign to help people separate fact from fiction and correct misinformation about transgender children in sports. The movement states that it wants to create positive change by evolving understanding, business and culture.
Over the past two years, nine states have enacted laws to bar transgender girls and women from competing in sports. In October, Texas became the latest to bar transgender girls from participating in girls’ sports at public schools. At least 35 bills to exclude transgender youth from athletics have been introduced in 31 states this year, up from 29 in 2020 and two in 2019, according to a tally by the National Conference of State Legislatures.
With the high number of bills attempting to ban transgender kids from sports, Play it Out wants to bring to light real stories of transgender and non-binary kids who are thriving on and off the field. The educational campaign wants to help communities understand that transgender kids look to sports as a way to hang out with their friends and learn from being part of a team, like other kids.
“Folks in communities everywhere deserve the truth and we’re going to play this out for them,” said GenderCool co-founder Jen Grosshandler, a lifelong athlete and parent of four children, including a 15-year-old daughter, Chazzie, who is transgender. “My own connection to athletics gave me the confidence to achieve more in my life than I ever dreamed possible. I want that for my daughter. Don’t we want all kids to have these formative life experiences?”
Roughly eight million kids participate in high school sports each year, according to The National Federation of State High School Associations. Around 35,000 of these young people are transgender, representing less than half of one percent of all high school students participating in sports. Of these students, fewer than five have won state-level competitions according to the organization.
“Kids are kids,” said Jon Mall, a teacher from Chicago who’s been coaching K-12 athletics for the past 20 years. “They’re out there to be part of a team, and you want to create an environment where their focus is on that sport and growing as an individual and as a team member. Where in that statement do you hear me talking about gender identity? Where?”
As part of the conversation and campaign, coaches, teachers, parents and young people are coming forward with common-sense perspectives to help communities understand the truth.
GenderCool co-founder Gearah Goldstein said that a small group of misguided people have created this fictitious narrative. “All people need to do is actually meet these young people to understand that what they are hearing and seeing in some states is bullying plain and simple,” said Goldstein. “We teach our kids not to be bullies. It’s even worse when the bully is an adult.”
Click here to watch the Play It Out video.
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