Published on March 3, 2024, 12:41 am

Third-wave feminists have arguably placed women’s progress in setback for half a century, especially when considering its effects on women’s sports. Their predecessors would possibly be distressed to witness the divergence this activism has taken.

The early suffragettes such as Mary Wollstonecraft and Susan B. Anthony had fought for basic rights such as voting and property rights for women. Afterwards, the second-wave feminism pivoted towards other aspects of gender equality; public figures like Gloria Steinem and Bella Abzug advocated for equal employment, pay, and educational opportunities. One of their major accomplishments was Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972, a federal civil rights law which ensured sex equality in education across all areas.

Fast forward to today and it’s evident how much things have changed within half a century. The blatant discrimination prevalent in current women’s sporting events might lead one to question whether Title IX even exists anymore.

The third-wave feminist movement is attributed with these changes. This wave introduced notions that gender is fluid or performative; proponents like Judith Butler and Gloria Anzaldúa championed “queer theory”. According to them, the long-held belief of two distinct genders was illusory and in reality, an individual’s “natural sex” was transient. This perspective facilitated a new playing field – quite literally – in high school gymnasiums and across various athletic platforms everywhere.

These modern feminists have pushed the narrative that debates about transgender individuals participating in athletics are not based inherently on clear evidence regarding athletic advantages but instead on unverified assumptions about biology and gender.

Given the ever-growing recognition of male physiological advantages over females in sports, many wonder why third-wave feminists aren’t rallying against males participating in female sports categories. More tragically, compelling evidence comes from increasing incidences where female athletes were injured during contests with transgender (biologically male) athletes.

A notable instance occurred during a basketball game between Collegiate Charter School of Lowell in Massachusetts and KIPP Academy in Lynn, Massachusetts. A trans-identified male player participating on the KIPP Academy girls’ team led to multiple players being injured, which resulted in Collegiate Charter School’s withdrawal from the game.

Unfortunately, occurrences like this are not anomalies. In fact, they might become more commonplace due to Education Secretary Miguel Cordona’s broad interpretation of “sex” in Title IX to also encompass “gender identity or expression”. This shift has generated a fresh wave of sex-based discrimination.

In previous years, there have been similar incidents of serious injuries resulting from contests between female athletes and trans-identified competitors. For instance, there were cases of serious injuries during a volleyball game in North Carolina and a field hockey game in Massachusetts

The question arises: where is the outrage from advocates for feminist justice? How many more female athletes need to be endangered before another wave rises that will protect and champion women’s rights like our ancestral suffragettes did?

Contemporary women must acknowledge that third-wave feminism has perhaps failed us, especially those who believed their ideologies were carried out to uphold equality. It may result from endorsing inclusiveness with regard “queerness,” equity, or gender interchangeability — even acknowledging Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg quoted once as not being interchangeable.

Women now ought to remain vigilant against covert discrimination and boldly identify prejudiced practices towards females based on commitments to inclusiveness. They need to do this for future generations of women if not solely for themselves.

All these views articulated here are personal opinions that do not necessarily resonate with the stance maintained by The Daily Wire.