Latest news with #ReeseEckard
Daily Mail
19 hours ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
Oregon high school star reveals shocking message from officials after protesting trans athletes
Oregon track star Alexa Anderson has revealed she was ordered away from the high jump podium by angry officials after she protested the inclusion of a trans athlete. Anderson and fellow competitor Reese Eckard were filmed refusing to step onto the podium during the medal ceremony, in an apparent protest of a fifth-place finisher who is reportedly transgender. Rather than taking their spots on the podium, footage obtained by Fox News showed the girls turning their backs to the crowd before being ushered away from the ceremony by an official. Now, Anderson has revealed that the official was apparently deeply unimpressed by the gesture. She told Fox: 'We stepped off the podium in protest and, as you can see, the official kind of told us "hey, go over there, if you're not going to participate, get out of the photos". 'They asked us to move away from the medal stand, so when they took the photos, we weren't even in it at all.' Anderson had finished third in the competition while fellow protestor Eckard had just clinched fourth place. Anderson continued: 'It's unfair because biological males and biological females compete at such different levels that letting a biological male into our competition is taking up space and opportunities from all these hardworking women. 'The girl in ninth who should have came in eighth and had that podium spot taken away from her, as well as many others.' She added: 'This was my first time competing against a transgender individual and the first public stand I have taken in this issue. 'But I have privately supported all the other girls who have done the same.' Anderson insisted at the time, in a separate interview with Fox, that she was not trying to stir hatred towards the trans community. 'We didn't refuse to stand on the podium out of hate,' she said. 'We did it because someone has to say this isn't right. 'In order to protect the integrity and fairness of girls sports we must stand up for what is right.' Daily Mail has reached out to the Oregon School Activities Association for comment on the controversy. Oregon is one of several states challenging President Donald Trump's 'Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports' executive order, which threatens to deny federal funding to rogue governments. The American Medical Association and American Psychiatric Association have both stated that gender is a spectrum and not a binary structure, as the White House argued in its January 20 executive order 'defending women from gender ideology.'
Daily Mail
a day ago
- General
- Daily Mail
Martina Navratilova sends blistering message in defense of high jumpers who protested against a trans rival
Tennis legend Martina Navratilova has defended the two athletes at the Oregon high jump state championships who refused to step on the podium after facing a trans rival over the weekend. Reese Eckard of Sherwood High School and Alexa Anderson of Tigard High School have been praised as heroes on social media after abandoning the medal ceremony in an apparent protest of a fifth-place finisher, who is reportedly transgender. Reese finished fourth in the state final while Anderson was third. Rather than taking their spots on the podium, footage surfaced on social media that showed the girls turning their backs to the crowd before being ushered away from the ceremony by an official. Navratilova saw the clip and reposted it, saying: 'Women and girls are punished no matter what they do in this misogynistic world…' She then replied to many of her followers who offered their own views about what is becoming a major talking point in school sports. In one notable reply, Navratilova wrote: 'Feminists never asked for this. At least not the great majority of us… never.' The 68-year-old Navratilova, one of the all-time greats in tennis who won 18 major titles in her career, has been a consistent voice in calling for lawmakers to protect women's sports and stop biological men from competing. She has also been a critic of Donald Trump but has lamented hesitancy from the Democrat party in following the lead of Republicans on the issue. In April, she said on X: 'I hate that the Democrats totally failed women and girls on this very clear issue of women's sports being for females only.' Anderson, meanwhile, spoke to Fox News about her decision over the weekend. 'We didn't refuse to stand on the podium out of hate,' she said. 'We did it because someone has to say this isn't right. 'In order to protect the integrity and fairness of girls sports we must stand up for what is right.' Oregon is one of several states challenging President Donald Trump's 'Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports' executive order, which threatens to deny federal funding to rogue governments. A recent AP-NORC poll found that about 7 in 10 U.S. adults think transgender female athletes should not be allowed to participate in girls and women's sports at high school, college or professional level. That view was shared by about 9 in 10 Republicans and roughly half of Democrats.
Mint
2 days ago
- Politics
- Mint
Oregon high school girls REFUSE to stand with trans athlete on podium — Martina Navratilova reacts
Two Oregon high school athletes made headlines over the weekend after refusing to share the winners' podium with a transgender competitor at the girls' high jump state championships. Reese Eckard (Sherwood High School) and Alexa Anderson (Tigard High School) stepped down from the podium after a transgender athlete placed fifth. Anderson had placed third, while Eckard took fourth. Tennis legend and outspoken advocate for women's sports, Martina Navratilova, responded strongly to the incident on X (formerly Twitter). "Women and girls are punished no matter what they do in this misogynistic world…" Navratilova wrote. She added, "Feminists never asked for this. At least not the great majority of us… never." Navratilova responded to the growing debate on X (formerly Twitter), emphasising that women are being unfairly targeted for protesting rules they didn't create. "Stop blaming women for this. Women do not make the rules," she replied to a social media user's post. "Majority of women are against it too. Women get punished no matter what they do." Addressing the consequences faced by athletes who refuse to compete under current regulations, Navratilova added: "Because not competing can get you banned from the sport. The rules must change, and those are made by men mostly." In a broader critique of gender dynamics in sport and society, Navratilova continued in another reply to a user's comment: "The world is misogynistic, the world is patriarchal, and most of the rules are made by men. And all of the danger comes from men." Navratilova has repeatedly criticised Democratic lawmakers for not acting to protect women's sports. Earlier this year, she condemned Democrats for blocking the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act. "I hate that the Democrats totally failed women and girls on this very clear issue of women's sports being for females only," she said. Calling for stronger action, she urged: "Grow a spine." Navratilova referenced President Donald Trump's "No Men in Women's Sports" executive order, which was signed in February. She lamented that Democrats failed to support similar efforts. She questioned Democratic priorities, asking: "What are the Dems willing to give up for men who identify as trans? Abortion… the Constitution… rule of law… That's just for starters…" The incident and Navratilova's comments reignite an ongoing national debate around transgender participation in women's sports—a debate that continues to divide public figures, lawmakers, and athletic communities across the US.
New York Post
3 days ago
- Sport
- New York Post
Oregon athletes leave high school track and field championship podium over trans competitor: video
Two Oregon high school athletes refused to share the podium with a transgender competitor at the state's track and field championships, footage shows. The female students — Tigard High School's Alexa Anderson and Sherwood High School's Reese Eckard — stepped down from the high jump podium as the winners of the competition were being announced across the Eugene stadium Saturday night. Anderson and Eckard had finished in third and fourth place, while Ida B. Wells High School's trans student Lia Rose tied for fifth. Advertisement Oregon high schoolers Alexa Anderson and Reese Eckard stepped down from the high jump podium when a transgender teen tied for fifth place. America First Policy Institute Rose had competed in boys' track and field divisions as recently as 2024 and 2023, according to Fox News. Crowds were cheering for the athletes throughout the ceremony, and it remains unclear how the audience reacted to the protest. Advertisement A race official showed up shortly after Anderson and Eckard stepped down and ushered them away as they stood with their backs to the podium. It remains unclear if their standing at the competition was affected by the move. But the incident quickly gained attention online, especially after women's sports advocate Riley Gaines — who is staunchly opposed to transgenders athletes competing in women's sports — posted footage from it on X. Advertisement 'Watch this. Two female athletes in Oregon refused to stand on the podium because a boy was awarded a place,' Gaines wrote. 'Girls have had enough,' she added. The video was also picked up by other accounts — including 'Libs of TikTok' — which praised the athletes' act of defiance. It was just the latest incident where women's athletes have protested against transgender competitors in their division. Advertisement In April, women's fencer Stephanie Turner took a knee rather than competing with a trans person during a Maryland match, and was put on a year-long probation by USA Fencing for the move. And in May, 16-year-old high schooler Reese Hogan finished second to a trans athlete in California's CIF Southern Section Finals triple jump competition — but stepped up to the first place spot on the podium after her competitor stepped down.
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- General
- Daily Mail
Female Oregon high jumpers' stunning act of defiance after competing with trans rival at state championships
Two female high-jump competitors refused to stand alongside a transgender rival on the podium at this weekend's high school state championships in Oregon. Reese Eckard of Sherwood High School and Alexa Anderson of Tigard High School have been praised as heroes on social media after abandoning the medal ceremony in an apparent protest of a fifth-place finisher, who is reportedly transgender. Reese finished fourth in the state final while Anderson was third. Rather than taking their spots on the podium, footage obtained by Fox News showed the girls turning their backs on the crowd before being ushered away from the ceremony by an official. 'Two female athletes in Oregon refused to stand on the podium because a boy was awarded a place. Girls have had enough,' conservative activist Riley Gaines wrote on X. 'Girls have had enough.' Daily Mail has reached out to the Oregon School Activities Association for comment on the controversy. Anderson spoke to Fox News about her decision over the weekend. Oregon girls high jump state championships just finished. 2 of the females refused to step on the podium with the male competitor and an adult official relegated them to the sideline for refusing. THIS MUST END. — Leigh Ann O'Neill (@LaLONeill) May 31, 2025 'We didn't refuse to stand on the podium out of hate,' she said. 'We did it because someone has to say this isn't right. In order to protect the integrity and fairness of girls sports we must stand up for what is right.' Oregon is one of several states challenging President Donald Trump's 'Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports' executive order, which threatens to deny federal funding to rogue governments. A recent AP-NORC poll found that about 7 in 10 U.S. adults think transgender female athletes should not be allowed to participate in girls and women's sports at the high school, college or professional level. That view was shared by about 9 in 10 Republicans and roughly half of Democrats. The federation announced the change after Trump threatened to pull federal funding from California unless it bars trans female athletes from competing on girls teams. The federation said it decided on the change before then. The U.S. Department of Justice also said it would investigate the federation and the district that includes Hernandez's high school to determine whether they violated federal sex discrimination law. California law allows trans students to compete on sex-segregated sports teams consistent with their gender identity. Statistics on transgender participation in female sports aren't comprehensive. However, in December, NCAA President Charlie Baker testified that fewer than 10 are competing among 500,000 collegiate student athletes in the country. The American Medical Association and American Psychiatric Association have both stated that gender is a spectrum and not a binary structure, as the White House argued in its January 20 executive order 'defending women from gender ideology.'
