A biological male identifying as a female athlete reportedly claimed first place at a girls’ high school track meet in Portland, Oregon, reigniting the ongoing debate over fairness in women’s sports.
According to a Fox News report Friday, the athlete—who now goes by the name Lia Rose and previously competed as Zachary—”won” the girls’ high jump competition at the Portland Interscholastic League Varsity Relays. Rose cleared a height of 4 feet, 8 inches, beating the second-place female competitor by two inches.
The result has sparked backlash from parents, athletes, and advocates for women’s sports, many of whom argue that allowing biological males to compete in female divisions undermines the integrity of girls’ athletics and puts young women at a disadvantage.
Critics say this is yet another example of policies that elevate gender ideology over common sense and fairness. While transgender advocates argue for inclusion, many parents are now calling on state and local officials to enforce sex-based divisions in school sports to protect opportunities for biological girls.
The controversy comes as several states have passed legislation banning transgender athletes from competing in women’s and girls’ sports. However, Oregon remains one of the more permissive states, with policies allowing athletes to compete based on gender identity rather than biological sex.
Earlier this week, the Trump Administration’s Departments of Education and Justice launched a new Title IX Special Investigations Team (SIT) to combat the growing wave of gender ideology impacting female students and athletes. The SIT will focus on swift enforcement of President Trump’s executive order banning biological males from competing in female sports and will crack down on schools defying federal protections under Title IX.
The Department of Education stated that the new SIT is aimed at ensuring “timely, consistent resolutions to protect students, and especially female athletes,” from policies that allow males to access women’s teams and facilities. This move follows a sharp rise in Title IX complaints related to gender-based policies in Democrat-led states that have resisted the administration’s order.
