(© FlaglerLive)
By Randall Bertrand
I want to address some recent news regarding multiple bills circulating through committees in our Florida Legislature. Several of these (HB 1475, HB 935, SB 2012) target the participation of transgender students in athletics or target their well-being, specifically those assigned male at birth who now identify as a different gender. One of the measures would outright ban transgender participation. That bill advanced through a House committee this week.
There have been claims that “girls” sports will be destroyed because those who were assigned male at birth are physiologically stronger and possess greater endurance, lung capacity, etc. than those who identify with their gender at birth. Many of these same concerns have been echoed in similar bills in at least 23 other state legislatures. As an engineer, I have been trained to evaluate the facts pertaining to problems before setting forth solutions to ensure efforts are focused on the right problems.
I’ve heard the arguments from both sides, and I’d like to offer up some facts.
1. According to the Florida Department of Education website, there are 2,791,687 students enrolled in Florida Public Schools. (www.fldoe.org)
2. The Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) outlines specific requirements in its bylaws (Section 16.8) for students to meet before they are allowed to “participate in interscholastic athletics in a manner that is consistent with their gender identity and expression, irrespective of the gender listed on a student’s birth certificate and/or records.” Here are the following requirements:
a. The student and parent(s) or guardian(s) shall contact the school administrator or athletic director to inform them of the intent to participate in a sport team that doesn’t align with their birth and/or school records.
b. A written statement from the student affirming the consistent identity and expression to which the student self-relates.
c. Documentation from individuals such as, but not limited to, parents /legal guardians appointed by a court of competent jurisdiction, friends and/or teachers, which affirm that the actions, attitudes, dress and manner demonstrate the student’s consistent gender identification and expression.
d. A complete list of all the student’s prescribed, non-prescribed or over the counter, treatments, or medications.
e. Written verification from an appropriate health-care professional (doctor, psychiatrist, or psychologist) of the student’s consistent gender identification and expression. (It’s all here.)
3. The FHSAA has allowed participation of transgender students at least as far back as the 2013-2014 school years. (FHSAA Administration)
4. According to Jamie Rohrer, FHSAA’s associate executive director for administrative services, responding to a public record request I submitted to FHSAA on March 12th, since 2013, there have been only 11 students who have been approved for sports participation in accordance with their gender identity.
So, with only 11 students in the past eight years approved to participate in sports in accordance with their gender identity, how is this such an issue that requires multiple bills in our state legislature? Much the way it did in 2015 during the equally fabricated outrage over transgender persons and bathrooms, Our legislature seems to be pushing false information and feigning outrage over an issue that doesn’t exist. Even Representative Tuck, who is the sponsor of House Bill 1475, during the Secondary Education & Career Development Subcommittee meeting on March 17, could cite no instances of transgender girls dominating in girls’ public-school athletics. This is probably due to the exorbitantly low number of participants approved under the current FHSAA policy.
So why is this an issue now?
If we have evidence dating back to at least 2013, how has this not surfaced as an issue in girls’ sports? Probably because it’s not a real issue. We elected these politicians to solve problems in our state, and we certainly have our share of problems. My suggestions to our legislators pushing these bills is to stop, because you are embarrassing yourselves. The data shows you are addressing a problem that doesn’t exist and are pandering to your own personal biases. Take a look at solving some of our serious problems and spending our tax dollars on the needs of 2.8 million students or 21.5 million Floridians–not on the false fears over how 11 students may have affected high school athletics in eight years.
Randy Bertrand, a Palm Coast resident, led last year’s campaign to add “gender identity” among the Flagler County school district’s protections against discrimination, and is a candidate for the Flagler County School Board in 2022. Reach him by email here.
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tired of excuses says
I ,dont agree with transgenders being in male or female sports so maybe they should have a male team a female team and a transgender team
GR says
You convinced me there are three genders. Male, female and confused. You Randy Bertrand are confused. Transgender people have gender dysphoria. Doesn’t matter if it is 11 or infinity; how is it fair for a transgender to compete in sports against women? We now know who NOT to vote for come 2022.
Sad Times says
To Randy… thank you.
To the frightened and scared folks…remember your Bible teachings…God is the judge, not man.
C’mon man says
Also remember God made woman as a partner to man. Not for man to be woman.
Richard says
Now that you got this RANT off your chest, Randy, why don’t YOU go pander for something that is really a PROBLEM or run for office. Personally, my opinion is that ALL transgender individuals should NEVER be allowed to compete in sports EVER again unless they only compete with individuals of the same birth sex. Every person is born of God and if they so choose to change their gender versus what God had chosen for them that doesn’t mean that everyone else has to accept their decision which was not God’s gift of life originally. Suck it up man or is is woman!
Pierre Tristam says
Richard, Mr. Bertrand is running for office, and if you consider his brief, reasoned and unemotional piece a “rant,” you clearly are not keeping up with your 786 own approved comments on FlaglerLive so far, most of which out-decibel the usual definition of rant, few of which ever address the merits of the article above on its terms.
Deborah Coffey says
Scientists have found that some birds are gay. I wonder how Republicans will attack them. I’m sure they’re next on the GOP hate list.
Richard says
As long as these gay birds don’t want access to the girls locker room or want to compete in girls sports, I don’t think they are a problem.
Pierre Tristam says
Richard is of course misinformed. Transgender refers to sexual identity, not to sexual orientation, though his confusing human beings with more ornithological creatures suggests his dysphoria runs deeper than advertised.
SteveO says
Using your own cited information and sources, the latter can also be argued. With only 11 known athletes having been approved for competition since 2013, it would seem the issue is in fact a non-issue. Therefore, only those who are biologically a specific gender should be permitted to participate in that gendered sport.
Michael Cocchiola says
Our (unfortunately) Republican-dominated legislature reflects the irrational fears and bigotry of its conservative voters. Florida has hundreds of thousands – if not millions – of men, women, and children who are too poor to get proper food, shelter, or medical care. We have a massive mental health problem. Our environmental deterioration worsens by the day. At least 25 percent of our population (probably near 50% of Republicans) refuses to be inoculated against COVID-19.
And our legislature is mostly concerned about the possibility of a 12th or 15th or 20th LGBTQ student playing field hockey or basketball.
Richard says
The issue is protecting society from liberal insanity, as proffered by the Biden Administration. Your comments do not address the issue, because your arguments have no relationship to the issue. Republicans are not bigots, that is a libelous and unsupported assertion. What in the world does the environment have to do with this issue? USA CO2 emissions actually declined by 10% in 2020 under the Trump Administration. The Biden Administration has cancelled the Keystone pipeline despite the fact that the pipeline is more environmentally favorable than rail or truck transport. Under the Trump administration, the unemployment rate decreased to 3.5%, the lowest rate in half a century. If there is a cure for poverty, it is a good job, not a handout from a government seeking your dependence. Baizou…you and your kind are ruining America.
Steve says
He also lost more Jobs than any Presidents ever combined. The CO2 emissions decrease was due to half the World being shutdown over a C19 Pandemic that was made 3X worse due to He and His Administration ignoring it, and continuing the spread to the populous by inaction to cut it off, trace it and do real simple things like wear a mask or Social distance . He along with his followers Politicized it (C19, masks, large gatherings etc.) to the point of losing an Election because of it dimwit. We witnessed it dont try to change realiity Mr. ALT LMAO Vote Accordingly. Just keep Winning. Get over it cream puff
Richard says
CO2 emissions decreased because older coal fired power plants were phased out due to much cheaper and cleaner natural gas which was made plentiful by fracking, which the current dimwitted president banned on federal lands his first day in office. While there has also been a reduction in CO2 due to COVID, this effect is temporary, the reduction due to natural gas is permanent. https://slate.com/technology/2012/09/thanks-to-fracking-u-s-carbon-emissions-are-at-the-lowest-levels-in-20-years.html
Under the Trump administration, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the country’s unemployment rate dropped to 3.5% in fall 2019 — the lowest rate in about 50 years, since December 1969. As incomes rose, the rate of poverty declined. The percentage of Americans living with income below the official poverty line went down to 11.8% of the population in 2018, the lowest level since 2001. The poverty rate declined for four consecutive years, dropping by 0.4 points and 0.5 points in Trump’s first two years. Data released by the CEA shows that over 11 quarters from the end of 2016 through the first half of 2019, the net wealth of the top 1 percent of American households rose 13 percent. However, that rise was dwarfed by the 47 percent increase seen by the bottom 50 percent of America’s households over that same period. Had not the COVID virus intervened, the Trump economy would have been roaring forward. The COVID virus was not the fault of the Trump administration, nor was the loss in jobs. The loss in jobs was as a result of an attempt to save lives.
While Trump closed the economy to “bend the curve” and save lives, Democrats kept the economy closed for political benefit, and killed many seniors with their policies regarding returning COVID patients to nursing homes, while they were at the same time giving these same nursing homes immunity from lawsuits. This may have been a payback to the hospital lobby, stay tuned.
Had it not been for the Trump administration’s Operation Warp Speed, we would not have the vaccines that are currently to eliminate the virus. That is the really story. Democrats and the so-called experts said it could not be done.
Trump lost the election because 1) the Democrats were successful in painting Trump as being responsible for COVID, which he wasn’t 2) Jobs were lost and Trump was blamed for the loss, which were really due to Democrat lock downs 3) the Democrats hid Biden in his basement so that it couldn’t be seen how incompetent he was 4) The Marxist media repressed bad news concerning Biden and his family and relentlessly attacked Trump and 5) The Democrats portrayed themselves as bi-partisan when in fact the opposite is what has happened.
Trump may or may not return, but his message will go on. Biden is appeasing his far left wing, but he is also alienating the rest of the country. If he is removed from office by Kamala, the charade will be fully exposed. You can fool some of the people some of the time…..
Also please save your name calling for your friends and family. They would appreciate it more.
Common Sense says
Penis= MALE
Vagina= FEMALE
Got it ?
Outsider says
I guess if you’re not one of those affected by those 11 athletes thus far you don’t care; I would guess you don’t have any daughters in sports either but I could be wrong. With every so-called “family” network such as Disney shoving the trans-gender, gay lesbian etc. agenda down our kids’ throats at every opportunity this issue will only become more pervasive as they succumb to the left’s new normal so it’s better to address it now. Where was your deep concern for legislatures focusing on “real” issues when the Democrats were impeaching Trump for the Russia hoax while diverting much-needed attention away from an emerging pandemic? Finally, by your own logic, if such a tiny percentage of people are trans-gender athletes then why did Biden find it necessary to sign an executive order effectively paving the way for these people while putting millions of others scholarship and career opportunities in peril? You can’t have it both ways although I can understand why the left’s constant hypocrisy would make you believe you can.
Richard says
We don’t want women’s sports destroyed by transgender females.
A Rasmussen Reports poll released Friday found that 51% of U.S. adults surveyed opposed allowing athletes compete on the basis of their gender identity, including biological males who participate in women’s and girls’ sports.
Only 29% supported “allowing transgender students to participate on the sports teams of the gender they identify with,” while 20% were undecided, the survey said.
The results of the poll, taken Oct. 31-Nov. 2, were virtually identical to a Rasmussen survey released in June, which found only 28% favored allowing transgender students “to participate on the sports team of the gender they identify with,” while 54% were opposed.
GET REAL says
Keep the girls with the girls and the boys with the boys.What a sick society we are raising our children in.Everybody says science science scienc.Well,science dictates that ther are only two human genders with the exception of the very rare hermaphadite.You can take whatever harmones you want,cut off or add any body part you want,were a wig and make up or take testosterone and grow a mustache and if you take a dna test at the end of your life guess what??Your still the same gender you were born as!That is the REAL facts
Two Genders says
Exactly! For the “follow the science” crowd, there are ONLY two genders, period. Anything else is an abnormality. You are either born a male or a female, sex is binary. There is no ‘sex spectrum’. If you are born as a hermaphrodite, you are simply born with an abnormality, a condition, a defect. That condition affects only 0.02% of humans. And by the reasoning of this Randy Bertrand, we don’t have to even worry about small numbers lol.
Hmmm says
I AM NOT PHOBIC. AND ITS NOT ABOUT BEING SCARED…
But if my daughter was a h.s. wrestler, or boxed, and her opponent was a boy that “transitioned” we’d have a problem. Who in there right mind thinks it is ok that someone who was a “male” last year can square up with females in any sport and call it fair?
Google “Caster Semenya”, “Fallon Fox”, or “Mack Beggs”, the h.s. wrestler that stole hopes and dreams from biological female athletes.
Richard says
While it is understandable that restricting transsexuals from competing in girls sports may be harmful to their psyche many more biological girls would be harmed than these transsexuals, therefore it should not be permitted.
Dennis says
I think the transgender teens need to compete with their born sex. A male will never be a female. These transgender kids need help with their mental illness.
Sigh... says
What a sad state of affairs. I am discouraged and embarrassed by the numerous negative and ignorant comments made here. We are simply talking about a few students who wish to participate in life fully as the unique and wonderful human beings they are. There is no threat to anyone. Frankly, this fear driven overreaction says so much more about what is lacking in the writers than the issue.
Concerned for Safety says
You state right in your article exactly why it’s an issue. Males, as a rule, are physically stronger, faster, have a denser bone structure than women. They run faster, jump higher, throw farther, take more of a beating than women can. Of course there are exceptions to every rule, but those are general facts of nature. So when those who are born male join women’s sports, not only do they overshadow their team members, but their opponents have no hope of competing against them.
Are you aware of when Fallon fox, a transgender MMA fighter cracked her female opponent’s skull during a fight? Her opponent was not a match for her strength and different methods of fighting due to differences in body structure. Hers is not the only case out there. You can find them easily in searches.
Allowing transgender people of any age to participate in sports with those of their opposite biological gender is not only unfair, but dangerous. It has nothing to do with bigotry or fear of the people themselves.
Tackle box says
I agree with the Florida Legislature—deal with this now before it becomes bigger issue. What are we waiting for, a tennis team composed of all transgender females?
While many transgender do go through hormone treatments, the fact remains that bone density as well as other factors (please read article by Dan Avery titled “Transwomen retain athletic edge after a year of hormone therapy”) factor into advantage for transwomen. This hormone therapy while may close the competition gap overtime between female and trans athletes, it still shows advantage to the trans athlete for at least two years.
Regards to fairness, am I to understand that if a cisgender girl loses her spot on a basketball team or is beaten in tennis match or loses out on place finish in track to a transgender female then the cisgender girl is suppose to be ok with this? Sorry just not fair.
This has to stop says
It will 100% matter to that 1 female athlete bested in a championship by a biological male. You can bet she’s going to be pissed. By the same token only a small percentage of people drive a car without a license, so why bother checking for licenses? The left and their NEED to be inclusive of everyone, in everything, is absolutely ridiculous. If you are transgender, you shouldn’t be competing with those who were born of the opposite sex as yourself. Why bother even having male/female sports anymore? If this is no big deal, then make all females compete with all males. That should work just fine! Idiots.
Jane Gentile-Youd says
How very sad that some of us are born who do not love just as God created us.
How also very sad and very unfair that female sports are now open to God born males who by their very hormones will always be physically more powerful than females.
If one is so unhappy with the sex God gave them who are we to judge but allowing their far stronger male hormones to engage in sports side by side with the strength of female hormones is beyond ludicrous.
Do transgender females go through menopause ? Or will that be next? I am blessed not to have children growing up in today’s insane world. I am also blessed to have always loved how God created me.