I am a cisgender woman in Virginia. I work with children and adults, some of whom have explored their gender identity at some point in their lives. Let me tell you, this is not easy for people to explore or talk about, for fear of their lives, for fear of the lives of their families, their school, their careers. Sports for children and adolescents is a place to learn teamwork, feel empowered, encourage healthy lifestyle, learn leadership skills, and to increase understanding of what they and their bodies can do. Plus, they have so much fun! When kids participate in sports, they develop a strong sense of who they are, and this carries through the rest of their lives. As members of the community, we need to support our community in making sports open and accessible for all. Strong children, strong families and you have strong communities. I have two children of my own, and I can't imagine their lives without sports. 

What I could really do without is children being questioned about their gender identity. Who is going to "prove" who is a woman? How are they going to ask? Where are they going to feel entitled to look on a child to decide what is accurate? This is a slippery slope for a problem that doesn't really exist. The danger is not a trans woman in the locker room, the danger is a creepy adult who thinks they get to decide who should participate in a sport. 

As a sports fan, I enjoy good competition. As an advocate for children, I think all children should have the opportunity for safety in sports. As someone who understands nature and science, I know that gender isn't cut and dried. An all out ban does nothing except marginalize an already marginal population. 

I hope the grown ups who are reading this think about all that are being affected and who will be affected in the future. I know this is a complicated issue. We owe it to the children to be mindful about these decisions and ensure that we are not making Virginia less safe for all children.