"Why do we segregate boys and girls in sports?" - Russell Belden reacts to Aspen Hoffman’s win in a high school girls’ race in Washington

Russell Belden, a former congressional candidate and noted conservative commentator, has expressed his strong concerns regarding Aspen Hoffman's victory in a high school girls' cross-country race in Washington.

Russell Belden took to Twitter to voice his apprehensions about the fairness and rationale behind allowing Hoffman to compete against cisgender girls.

Aspen Hoffman, a transgender female, competed in and secured second place in the girls' division at the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) 1B-2B-1A track and field state championships. Russell Belden posed the question:

"Why do we segregate boys and girls in sports? Here is a boy who says he’s a girl now, finishing 2nd in the girls division yesterday. His time would put him 45th in the boys division. Same course, same day. If a boy can choose to be a girl, then what is a girl?"

Aspen Hoffman, a sophomore at Seattle Academy High School, made the transition to competing as a girl this year after previously participating as a boy during her freshman year.

Notably, Hoffman not only set a new school record in the girls' 5000-meter category but also secured the top position in the league.

Russell Belden shared a video of Hoffman crossing the finish line, with two girls tying for third place closely behind. In his commentary, he went on to say,

"As the teenage girls point out, he doesn't menstruate. He doesn't have to deal with that every month (or on race day). He doesn't have breasts or hips. A ponytail doesn't make him a girl. How did this become controversial? I thought we had boy and girl divisions for a reason in athletics. That's the boy, now saying he's a girl, finishing alone. Two girls ran together behind him; they tied for third."

Aspen Hoffman's remarkable athletic journey

Transitioning to track and field, Hoffman accomplished a significant feat by breaking Seattle Academy's school record in the girls' 5000-meter category and claiming the top position in the league. This remarkable performance earned Hoffman a qualification for the state championship after finishing as the runner-up at the district level.

Notably, Aspen Hoffman, who identifies as a transgender female, demonstrated her athletic prowess by earning the eighth position in the girls' 3200-meter race at the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) 1B-2B-1A track and field state championships. This event took place on Saturday, May 2023, at Eastern Washington University in Cheney.