Aaron Rodgers declared his views on trans inclusion (Luke Hales/Getty Images)
NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers has rallied against trans inclusion in sport, claiming transgender women are inherently “anti-woman”.
During an interview with right-wing podcaster Joe Rogan, Rodgers – who has played for the Green Bay Packers and New York Jets – said: “The trans-women movement is actually anti-woman, 100 percent.”
He then clarified he was referring to trans women in sports.
“You’re not seeing trans men dominating anything,” he said. “No, because there’s a biological difference.”
“It’s not bigoted to say that,” Rogan agreed, adding: “The idea that that’s bigoted is so crazy when there’s a demonstrable effect like you can clearly see that these people that are identifying as women but are actually biological males have massive advantage.”
Trans inclusion in sports is a contentious topic and comes amid wider crack downs on the rights of trans people in the United States, despite various studies finding trans women athletes have no advantage in elite sport.
In February, US president Trump signed an executive order enacting a ban on trans women and girls taking part in female sports.
It followed other executive orders signed by the Republican leader proclaiming the official policy of the US is that there are “only two sexes”, banning transgender people from serving in the military and restricting gender-affirming healthcare for trans youngsters under the age 19. He has also moved to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion programmes across the government and in the military.
The order, entitled ‘Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports’, stated: “In recent years, many educational institutions and athletic associations have allowed men to compete in women’s sports. This is demeaning, unfair and dangerous to women and girls, and denies women and girls the equal opportunity to participate and excel in competitive sports.”
It went on to say it will be the “policy of the United States to oppose male competitive participation in women’s sports more broadly, as a matter of safety, fairness, dignity and truth”.
ATLANTA, GA – MARCH 17: Counter-protestors gather to support transgender swimmer Lia Thomas at the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships on March 17th, 2022 at the McAuley Aquatic Center in Atlanta Georgia. (Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Just one day later, the NCAA – which regulates student athletics in the United States – announced female competition would be from now on limited to those assigned female at birth.
The new NCAA policy states a student-athlete assigned male at birth – such as trans women and non-binary folks – cannot compete with for an NCAA women’s team. However, a person assigned male at birth may continue to practice with an NCAA women’s team and “receive all other benefits applicable to student-athletes”.
By contrast, student-athlete who is assigned female at birth begins taking hormones – such as a trans man taking testosterone – the NCAA says they can no longer compete on the women’s team. If they do compete, the team will no longer be eligible for NCAA women’s championships and instead be subject to NCAA mixed-team legislation. They can, however, keep on practicing with the women’s team if they wish and also “receive all other benefits applicable to student-athletes”.
For a number of years the NCAA has been at the centre of controversy and backlash from right wingers and anti-trans pundits because of its former polices on trans inclusion, namely following Lia Thomas’s swimming victory in 2022.
Thomas, a swimmer on the University of Pennsylvania’s women’s team, became the first trans athlete to win an NCAA swimming championship when she came in first in the 500-yard freestyle.
During the NCAA championship, Thomas also tied for fifth place with University of Kentucky’s Riley Gaines in 200-yard NCAA freestyle. Gaines has since made a name for herself as a prolific anti-trans campaigner.
How did this story make you feel?
🔥 Fired up
❤️ Love
😊 Happy
😐 Meh
😡 Annoyed
😢 Sad
Sending reaction...
Thanks for your feedback!