An Arizona State Senator berated a female volleyball player for wanting female-only sports on Wednesday during a Senate Education Committee Hearing, where they considered HCR 2003, the Protect Girls in Sports in Arizona Act.
The Senator mocked and attacked the athlete’s “sports mentality,” suggesting she’s just not competitive enough to play against men.
Former NCAA athlete Kaylie Ray gave a public comment on the bill, which would simply designate each sport based on the sex of participating athletes and prohibit a school or athletic association from authorizing an individual to use a provided restroom, locker room, or other private space integral to athletic engagement that is not designated for the individual’s sex.
The bill would further require schools and Arizona athletic associations to designate competitive sports in three categories: men’s, women’s, and coed.
Ray, a former Utah State Volleyball captain, who “led a team forfeit against San Jose State in 2024, in protest of a trans athlete on San Jose State University (SJSU),” according to Fox, spoke in the Senate on her experience being forced to compete against a male athlete as a Division 1 college volleyball player. “Our basic right to a fair and safe competition was violated because the people who were meant to protect us decided that validating this individual’s identity was more important,” she said, urging lawmakers to ensure that women have equal opportunities, safety, and fairness in sports and private spaces.
Hellbound and Down 