Women's rugby team Round Rock Rage responds to Trump order against transgender athletes
AUSTIN (KXAN) — A local women's rugby team announced that it won't be changing its trans-inclusive policies following President Donald Trump's executive order calling for a ban on transgender athletes, according to a social media post on Thursday.
"We will not allow men to beat up, injure, and cheat girls," said Trump prior to signing the bill.
NCAA President Charlie Baker previously testified to Congress that he was only aware of "less than 10" transgender athletes, of the NCAA's more than 530,000 student athletes. The collegiate sports association changed its policies within a day of the order.
'Literally make me'
But women's rugby team Round Rock Rage RFC said it would continue to allow players of any gender identity and that its cisgender players would "raise hell" for its trans players.
"Things aren't changing, period," Club President Sarah Dickerson said. "Whatever this executive order says does not matter. We're not going to follow those rules...literally make me. Middle finger to the haters."
The club is part of the Texas Rugby Union, which is subject to any decisions by USA Rugby -- the national governing body for the sport. USA Rugby follows the International Olympic Committee's 2015 Transgender Policy that states that transgender women must be within a certain hormonal range in order to play.
Dickerson said she feels that the U.S. women's rugby community largely supports transgender players, and won't readily comply with a ban.
"We don't f--king care -- if you want to play women's rugby, play women's rugby," she said. "Every body is a rugby body. You need a tiny, little, fast runner just as much as you need a big, strong hitter. Women's rugby players respect a trans woman just like any other women rugby player."
The team has trans women on the team -- players who, Dickerson noted, aren't the "biggest, the strongest, the fastest." She added that there are many cisgender athletes who are just "genetically lucky, built better for rugby."
The rugby club is also running a "Boots, Binders, and Bras" drive to collect athletic gear for athletes undergoing gender transition. Unused sports bras, binders and cleats can be donated at physical therapy center OutWellness or during the team's practices on Monday and Wednesday between 7:00-9:00 p.m. at 217 Commerce Blvd., Round Rock.
"We, as a team, want trans athletes to play rugby," she said. "It would really be nice if everybody just got out of the way, because trans people playing sports literally affects nobody. We don't need to be defended from trans athletes...please just stay in your lane. We know how to tackle."
The Round Rock Rage's next match is Feb. 22.