Biological male who identifies as female wins Miss Maryland USA competition



Bailey Anne Kennedy is the "first trans woman" to win the Miss Maryland USA competition, the pageant said. A "transgender female" is a biological male who identifies as female.

The pageant added that Kennedy also is the "first Asian-American" to win the title, the first to "capture the crown at age 31," the first "married woman to win the crown in 67 years," and the "first military officer's wife."

'I knew that it was going to mean a lot for all the LGBTQ kids out there who might feel like they don’t belong in a box — like me growing up.'

Kennedy posted the following message June 2 on Instagram after the win:

Not everyone has to agree with the spaces that you occupy, and it doesn’t mean that you aren’t worthy of these opportunities. The work that I will do for the remainder of my life is to make sure that children who feel like me will never have to worry about the consequences of being who they are by simply being myself and being a positive contribution to society.

For the longest time, I never had the need to tell anyone. Not because it’s a secret, but it’s none of anyone’s business. To those who matter to me, they don’t care. Those that care about knowing such private & personal details, don’t matter.

I can’t wait to start my reign and get back to the USO office and start serving lunches & personally thank our active duty service members like I originally plan to yesterday because that’s what actually matters to me.

In an interview with Maryland-based station WDVM-TV — also known as DC News Now — Kennedy said the victory was a "whirlwind because I knew it was bigger than me. I knew that it was going to mean a lot for all the LGBTQ kids out there who might feel like they don’t belong in a box — like me growing up.”

Kennedy also felt support from the “sisterhood” of women in the competition, WDVM also noted.

The new Miss Maryland USA noted to the station the hope that the victory "will open up some doors, open up some hearts for people to see that there are many aspects of [the] LGBT community out there, and I hope I can be a positive contribution to society in making a difference like the USO program like I’m working with.”

The Daily Mail said Kennedy "married her military husband less than a year ago" and is now looking to compete for the Miss USA title in August in Los Angeles.

Newsweek said conservatives who've spoken out against Kennedy may have forgotten that former President Donald Trump in 2012 overruled a Miss Universe pageant ban of a transgender contestant. Trump at the time owned the Miss Universe Organization, and Miss USA is part of it.

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Transgender soccer player quits UK women's team after 'terrified' opponents boycott games; one reportedly broke her knee



A biological male soccer player who identifies as female has quit a women's team in the United Kingdom after "terrified" opposing squads boycotted games and at least one opponent broke her knee after the transgender player's shot, the Daily Mail reported.

Francesca Needham, 30, left the Rossington Main Ladies Football Club "for the foreseeable future" after two matches in the Sheffield and Hallamshire Women's League were called off as a result of the boycott, the outlet said.

Needham also is threatening to sue after abiding by all Football Association policies on transgender players, the Daily Mail added.

— (@)

What else?

Supporters are calling the situation "saddening" and said they'd "stand by" Needham as the trans player "paves the way forward" for other trans players, the outlet said.

Needham noted on a Facebook fan page for Rossington Main that other teams are "unwilling to play against us while I am on the field," the Daily Mail said. It appears that Needham's post is no longer on the Rossington fan page.

"This unfortunate circumstance has prompted me to investigate pursuing a case of discrimination, as I believe it represents a breach of a code of conduct regarding diversity and inclusion, as well as safeguarding of adults in football established by both the Football Association and the Sheffield and Hallamshire Women and Girls League," Needham wrote, according to the outlet.

Rossington backed Needham, the Daily Mail said, adding that the ladies' team secretary posted a message that "in unity we defeat discrimination."

Needham played only two games this season, both in October, the outlet said, adding that in the first game the opposing squad's manager knew five minutes into the match that Needham is trans.

"It was obvious," said the manager, who asked the Daily Mail for anonymity. "Unfortunately, the FA allowed it to happen but didn't let anyone know. She's quite a big strong player. People have refused to play because they are worried about the safety of the players. My players were backing out of challenges as psychologically it's quite a big thing when you are playing against a biological man; it's quite scary. They were terrified."

Needham scored two goals in the two games, the outlet said.

What's more, an opposing player who also asked for anonymity was said to have suffered a serious knee injury after blocking one of Needham's shots, the Daily Mail said.

Rossington Main President Gerald Parsons refused to comment on the controversy apart from stating that opponents "couldn't raise a team" in recent weeks, the outlet said, adding that Needham has been unavailable for comment.

The manager of one of the teams that refused to play against Needham explained the boycott to the Daily Mail: "I have 16- and 17-year-old players playing for me, and their parents weren't too keen to put their welfare at risk."

Fiona McAnena at Fair Play For Women told the outlet that "footballers are separated by sex for very good reasons. If you put one male on the pitch, they are faster, they are stronger. It is patently unfair, and in a contact sport like football, it's unsafe. These women didn't choose mixed football; they chose women's football. It's not because this player is trans; it is because they are male."

“Not Safe Or Fair For Women!” | Women’s Football Clubs Boycotting Team With Trans Player youtu.be

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Biological Male STEALS Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Cover

Biological Male STEALS Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Cover

College sorority accepts biological male who identifies as female after allegedly ignoring members' concerns



The Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority at the University of Wyoming counts among its more notable sisters Democrat U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (New York), designer Kate Spade, Massachusetts' first female governor Jane Swift, and actress Ashley Judd.

And as of this year, a man.

What are the details?

Kappa Kappa Gamma is the first sorority in the history of the school to accept a biological male who identifies as female into its sisterhood, according to campus paper the Branding Iron. The local chapter, led by Jamie Neugebauer, allegedly arrived at the decision by majority vote.

Artemis Langford — the student headed into the sorority — told the paper, "I feel so glad to be in a place that I think not only shares my values, but to be in a sisterhood of awesome women that want to make history."

"They want to break the glass ceiling, trailblazing you know, and I certainly feel that as their first trans member, at least in the chapter in Wyoming history," Langford added.

The term "glass ceiling" was coined by Marilyn Loden in 1978, and referenced invisible barriers that obstructed biological women from pursuing and obtaining positions of authority.

Langford suggested that acceptance should not be based on what an applicant's "identity is or what their orientation is."

Concerns ignored?

The Cowboy State Daily, a local news outfit, reported having been inundated by messages from persons expressing concerns "about living situations and facilities usage in the sorority home," but noted "those people declined to be identified or comment publicly out of fear for social repercussions."

One KKG woman told the National Review that chapter leaders and other senior members had discounted concerns about accepting a man into the sisterhood. The source claimed that one KKG member said, "It's 2022. If you vote no, it better be for, like, literal issues with that new member or else it's homophobic."

Another senior member allegedly said, "If your only concerns are about her living in the house, you are thinking too far down the road."

KKG permits all sorority members to live in a chapter facility to "enhance the experience."

Of the 12 pledges required to spend the night together during initiation, 10 allegedly objected to sleeping in the same room as Langford.

The NR's anonymous source also indicated that Langford has "absolutely not" physically transitioned to female; that Langford is a "big guy" who has "made no efforts to physically look like a girl ... He's just calling himself a girl."

Langford told the Branding Iron that he understands where his detractors are coming from, "but at the end of the day I wish that they would see me as who I am."

Anything else?

In 2021, the sorority produced a "Guide for Supporting Out LGBTQI+ Members," which stated, "Kappa Kappa Gamma is a single-gender organization comprised of women and individuals who identify as women whose governing documents do not discriminate in membership selection except by requiring good scholarship and ethical character."

The guide detailed ways to "Be an Ally."

It recommended that individuals "not make or perpetuate assumptions about someone's Sexual orientation or Gender identity"; "Ask LGBTQIA+ ... individuals how you can support them"; "Understand your own culture, socialization, prejudices, and privileges"; and "Always refer to people by the names and pronouns they refer."

The guide, released by a formerly women's-only sorority, further demanded the use of "words that encompass all genders, sexual orientations and family units. For example, 'people of all genders' instead of 'women and men'; 'children' instead of 'boys and girls'; 'parents instead of 'mom and dad.'"

KKG revised its bylaws in 2022, embracing the National Panhellenic Council's 2020 policies concerning transgender individuals, which state a "woman is defined as an individual who consistently lives and self-identifies as a woman." Other sororities on campus have reportedly adopted this language as well.

This transmogrification of the language permits the sorority to assert that it is in keeping with the "single-gender nature of our organization ... essential to the mission and purpose of Kappa Kappa Gamma and its chapters and alumnae associations."

Transgender woman rejected by every sorority at U. of Alabama: 'I’m sad because I wanted to be a part of a sisterhood'



A transgender woman was rejected by every sorority at the University of Alabama during student recruitment, the New York Post reported, citing social media posts from the student in question.

What are the details?

Grant Sikes earlier this week wrote on Instagram about being passed over by each of the college's nearly 20 sororities.

“Unfortunately, this chapter is closed. This recruitment journey is over for me,” Sikes wrote. “Being dropped from my last house this morning during primary recruitment at the University of Alabama doesn’t come as a surprise considering out of the almost 20 chapters ... I was dropped by every single one except 2 before day 1.”

Sikes added, "I’m hopeful of a future where everyone is welcomed for just being themselves — everywhere. If you are going through a hard time today, remember that life is too short to ponder on the things lost. Choose happiness & always look for the positive things throughout life. Move on. See the good. See the bad. Hope for the best. Brave the worst.”

Sikes received nearly 36,000 likes for the Instagram post as of Wednesday morning.

In a TikTok video, Sikes called the unanimous rejection "extremely upsetting" and added that "I’m sad because I wanted to be a part of a sisterhood and, more than that, a community.”


The TikTok video got a decidedly bigger reaction, garnering nearly 190,000 likes and more than 6,300 comments since it was posted earlier this week.

In fact, Sikes' TikTok videos documenting the recruitment journey got millions of views during Alabama Rush Week, the Post said.

The paper added that Sikes isn't the first transgender student rejected from a Greek Life organization, noting that Adam Davies was rejected by all 12 sororities at Northwestern University in 2017.

Anything else?

Commenters on Sikes' above TikTok video offered a variety of reactions:

  • 'I'M PACKING MY BAGS & HEADING TO ALABAMA," one commenter wrote. "I’m ready to riot."
  • "Can I say genuinely as a queer person [who] went through Greek life, it’s is extremely homophobic and not a safe space," another commenter wrote. "You deserve better!!!"
  • "Y’all better keep this same energy for all the other girls that got cut!" another commenter told fellow commenters. "Nothing against Grant, but there are plenty of other girls in the same spot."

NYT: Doctors say Lia Thomas has unfair advantage over biologically female swimmers



Two doctors have told The New York Times that they believe transgender NCAA swimmer Lia Thomas — who was able to swim for the University of Pennsylvania in women's events due to having taken NCAA-mandated testosterone suppressants — has an unfair advantage over biologically female swimmers.

What are the details?

Mayo Clinic Dr. Michael Joyner and sports physiologist Ross Tucker told the outlet that Thomas' very status as a transgender woman is what gives her a vast advantage over biologically female swimmers.

Joyner and Tucker added that 22-year-old Thomas has an overall biological advantage even though she took the hormone-suppressing drugs for the required time.

According to the report, Joyner said that since girls typically grow at a faster rate when compared to boys of the same age, they generally have a competitive advantage in their early years. Puberty, however, is far more than a great equalizer: "You see the divergence immediately as the testosterone surges into the boys," Joyner insisted. "There are dramatic differences in performances.”

He added that while "social aspects to sport" exist, physiology and biology "underpin it."

"Testosterone is the 800-pound gorilla," he insisted.

Tucker doubled down on Joyner's remarks and added, "Lia Thomas is the manifestation of the scientific evidence. The reduction in testosterone did not remove her biological advantage."

What else is there to know about this?

Thomas in March told Sports Illustrated that competitive swimming is something she's always wanted to do.

“I’m a woman, just like anybody else on the team,” Thomas told the sports magazine. “I’ve always viewed myself as just a swimmer. It’s what I’ve done for so long; it’s what I love. I get into the water every day and do my best.”

She added, "I just want to show trans kids and younger trans athletes that they’re not alone. They don’t have to choose between who they are and the sport they love.”

Swim Parents: ‘Inclusion’ For Lia Thomas Tramples Inclusion For Our Daughters

Thomas has rights, but those rights should not trample on the rights of women with smaller hearts, lungs, hands and feet.

International Olympic Committee backs biological male weightlifter who identifies as female competing against women in Tokyo



The International Olympic Committee has backed New Zealand's selection of transgender weightlifter Laurel Hubbard for the Tokyo Olympics, Reuters reported.

What are the details?

Hubbard, 43, is a biological male who competed in men's weightlifting competitions before transitioning to female in 2013. Hubbard has been competing against women for several years — and that has angered several women's rights groups who say Hubbard's presence represents unfair competition.

But the IOC said over the weekend that under current rules Hubbard can compete, Reuters reported, adding that the rules will be reviewed in the future.

"The rules for qualification have been established by the International Weightlifting Federation before the qualifications started," IOC President Thomas Bach said, according to the outlet. "These rules apply, and you cannot change rules during ongoing competitions."

However, Bach said the rules would be looked at again in the future in order to set new guidelines, Reuters added.

"At the same time the IOC is in an inquiry phase with all different stakeholders ... to review these rules and finally to come up with some guidelines which cannot be rules because this is a question where there is no one-size-fits-all solution," Bach said at a news conference, according to the outlet. "It differs from sport to sport."

More from Reuters:

The IOC had cleared the way in 2015 for transgender athletes to compete at the Games as women, provided their testosterone levels are below 10 nanomoles per litre for at least 12 months before their first competition.

Some scientists have said the guidelines do little to mitigate the biological advantages of those who have gone through puberty as males, such as bone and muscle density.

Supporters of transgender inclusion argue the process of transition decreases that advantage considerably and that physical differences between athletes mean there is never a truly level playing field in sport.

Hubbard is set to become the first transgender athlete to compete at the Games after being selected for the New Zealand team in the women's super-heavyweight 87+kg category, the outlet noted.

More pushback

Opposition to Hubbard competing against women has been considerable:

  • NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre said Hubbard should not be permitted to compete in women's events at the Tokyo Games, noting "it's a man competing as a woman. That's unfair!
  • A rival weightlifter who was looking to compete in Hubbard's weight category for the Olympics recently said Hubbard's presence is "like a bad joke" to biological female athletes. Anna Van Bellinghen of Belgium told Inside the Games it's widely known that athletes can retain the benefit of taking steroids even years earlier — so therefore "why is it still a question whether two decades, from puberty to the age of 35, with the hormonal system of a man also would give an advantage [in competing against women]?"
  • In the wake of Hubbard's rise to prominence, female weightlifters who've complained about Hubbard competing against them allegedly were told to "be quiet" by the sports' powers that be.

Here's Hubbard in action in early 2020: