Local reactions to transgender athlete bill

One local mother of a 13-year-old transgender daughter says the bill banning transgender athletes from participating in girls sports is another example of the government portraying trans women as dangerous.

Katey Vinstead’s daughter Emily has not been allowed to join her middle school girls basketball team because the school district requires the use of the student’s gender indicated on their birth certificate.

As for joining the boys basketball team, Vinstead says it’s not safe for Emily to play with the boys because of the constant bullying she endures. “This bill to me, it’s not only showing them that they’re different as in ‘oh you’re the freak that’s up against you,’ but it’s also sexist because I don’t see anything in there about any concern about trans men and playing men’s sports. I heard Tate Reeves talk about his daughters and how he thought this would protect them and my question to him would be along the lines of ‘are your daughters the only daughters you care about in the state of Mississippi’ because he’s put mine in further danger.”

As of Monday, Vinstead has chosen to home school Emily due to the increase in bullying at school because of the proposal of this bill.