MIDDLETOWN, NJ – As a father of a high school athlete—a daughter who pours her heart into her sport—I’m beyond frustrated. The New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) has decided to thumb its nose at President Trump’s recent executive order barring biological boys from competing in girls’ sports. This isn’t just a policy disagreement; it’s a slap in the face to every girl who’s fought for her place on the field, the court, or the track. It’s revolting, and it’s personal.
Our Middletown school district did one thing right when it began fighting against Governor Phil Murphy’s insane policies that endanger young girls throughout the state.
Let me start with my daughter. She’s not a headline or a statistic—she’s a kid who’s spent years training, sweating, and pushing herself to be the best she can be. She’s up early for practice, stays late to perfect her skills, and competes with everything she’s got. Her sport isn’t just a hobby; it’s a proving ground where she learns discipline, resilience, and what it means to earn something. She deserves a fair shot, not a rigged game.
Trump’s executive order—signed to protect the integrity of women’s sports—makes it clear: biological boys shouldn’t compete against girls. It’s common sense rooted in basic biology. Boys, on average, have greater muscle mass, bone density, and physical strength than girls, even with hormone treatments or other interventions. That’s not an opinion; it’s a fact backed by decades of science. When you let boys into girls’ sports, you’re not leveling the playing field—you’re tilting it so far that girls like my daughter don’t stand a chance.
So why is the NJSIAA digging in its heels? They claim it’s about “inclusivity” and “fairness for all.” But let’s call it what it is: a feel-good stance that sacrifices girls to avoid tough decisions. By defying the executive order, they’re choosing optics over reality, and it’s my daughter—and thousands of others like her—who pay the price. How is it fair to ask her to compete against someone with a built-in physical advantage she can’t overcome, no matter how hard she trains?
I’ve watched her meets. I’ve seen her battle through injuries, exhaustion, and heartbreak, only to come back stronger.
She’s earned every win and learned from every loss. But when a biological boy steps into her lane or onto her court, it’s not a competition anymore—it’s a foregone conclusion. Records get shattered, scholarships slip away, and girls who’ve dedicated their lives to their sport are left wondering why their hard work doesn’t matter. That’s not inclusion; that’s erasure.
The NJSIAA’s defiance isn’t just bad policy—it’s a betrayal. They’re supposed to protect our kids, not undermine them. Girls’ sports were carved out for a reason: to give females a space to shine, not to serve as a testing ground for someone else’s identity.
My daughter shouldn’t have to sacrifice her dreams so the NJSIAA can dodge a PR headache.
I’m not against anyone’s right to be who they are. But there’s a difference between personal freedom and rewriting the rules of fair play. If boys want to compete, let’s find a way that doesn’t steamroll girls’ opportunities—separate categories, open divisions, something that works for everyone without taking away what girls have fought for. Ignoring the executive order doesn’t solve the problem; it just kicks it down the road and leaves girls holding the bag.
I want my daughter to grow up knowing her effort matters, that her victories are hers, and that she’s not just a footnote in someone else’s story. The NJSIAA’s stance tells her otherwise, and as her dad, that makes my blood boil. It’s time they stopped playing politics with our daughters’ futures and started standing up for the girls who deserve better.
Ken – Middletown (last name withheld)
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