"What happened to protecting girls?" - Former Congress candidate Russell Belden reacts to transgender athlete competing in Girls Cross Country Race

Russell Belden, a former Congress candidate, expressed his apprehensions about a transgender athlete competing in the girls cross country race.

On Thursday, September 28, 2023, a transgender athlete was seen competing in the girls cross country race in Seattle, Washington and also secured a place on the podium with the team.

Belden took to social media to express his concern and raise questions about fairness in sports. He questioned how fair it was to allow a trans athlete to compete against cisgender girls.

"What happened to protecting girls?" he questioned.

"Another awkward Girls XC race last weekend here in Seattle," he said. "Another biological boy runner was the difference between a girls team getting first or second. There was a lot of murmuring when he stood on the podium to accept the girls team trophy," he wrote.

He expressed his view that every time a trans athlete competes against a cisgender girl, the girl is deprived of equal opportunity and fairness in sports.

"Why are girls being forced to go along with this or they’re not playing nice?" asked Belden. "Every biological boy that competes as a girl is taking a spot and opportunity from a girl," he expressed.

Riley Gaines along with others reacts to a transgender athlete competing in Girls Cross Country Race

Riley Gaines reacts to transgender athlete competing in Girls Cross Country Race

Former swimmer and women's rights activist, Riley Gaines criticized the incident in Seattle. She took to social media and wrote:

"You can see which is the male among a sea of females from a mile away. The emperor wears no clothes."

Along with Gaines, a few other Twitter users also reacted to the incident. One user posted their apprehension, informing it was the second time that a transgender athlete was competing against girls.

"Second male in girl's cross-country running in Seattle area."

Earlier in May 2023, Aspen Hoffman, a trans athlete, competed against cisgender girls and secured second place in the girls' division at the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) 1B-2B-1A track and field state championships.

Another user expressed distress and questioned the parents of the cisgender athletes about why they do not oppose trans athlete's participation.

“Makes me angry every time I see these stories,” she wrote.

“And I want to know where are the parents of these girls who are having their opportunities stolen and hard work depreciated? Why do they allow them to engage in this? “ she questioned.