Trans Wins Girls Race And Draws Outrage
A transgender athlete has reignited controversy after a trans wins girls race moment shocked Oregon high school sports. Lia Rose, a senior at Ida B. Wells High School in Portland, placed first in a girlsโ varsity high jump eventโjust two years after finishing last in a boysโ meet.
Rose, who previously competed under the name Zachary, cleared 4 feet 8 inches on Wednesday to win the event by a two-inch margin, setting a personal record.
Previous Boysโ Performance Raises Questions
Back in May 2023, Rose finished last in the boysโ junior varsity division, managing a 4-foot 6-inch jump. Athletic records show she competed in the boysโ category until 2024 before switching to the girlsโ division in 2025.
The trans wins girls race incident follows a familiar pattern and has fueled debate over what many call an uneven playing field.
Similar Controversy With Another Oregon Athlete
Earlier this year, another trans girlโs race headline emerged when McDaniel High Schoolโs Ada Gallagher, formerly Aayden, swept the 200m and 400m girlsโ races at the Portland Interscholastic League Championships. Gallagher won the 400m by nearly 10 seconds.
Former NCAA swimmer Riley Gaines reacted online, saying, โAnother day, another boy dominating in girlsโ sports,โ and asked whether the athlete or parents felt any shame over the results.
State Policy And Federal Clash
Despite pushback, the Oregon School Activities Association maintains its gender identity participation policy, allowing athletes to compete according to how they identify. โThis promotes harmony and fair competition,โ the OSAA stated.
However, the Trump administrationโs new executive order, โKeeping Men Out of Womenโs Sports,โ directly counters Oregonโs approach. It asserts that biological males competing in female sports is โdemeaning, unfair, and dangerous.โ
Trans Wins Girls Race: A Growing Trend?
As Lia Roseโs win grabs headlines, the debate over fairness in womenโs sports intensifies. Many believe that continued victories like these will force policy changes, while others defend the right of all students to compete based on gender identity.
For now, the trans wins girls race controversy continues to divide public opinionโon the track and far beyond.
