University of Nevada, Reno (UNR), President Brian Sandoval drew criticism for his handling of comments made by Regent Patrick Boylan regarding transgender women athletes.
During a Nevada System of Higher Education Board of Regents meeting on Friday, March 1, Boylan commented about “men masquerading as women” in collegiate sports at UNLV. His remarks triggered a nationwide outcry, with calls for his resignation.
Despite mounting pressure, Boylan has refused to step down, asserting that his comments were not inappropriate.
Meanwhile, in an internal memo addressed to faculty, students, and staff, Sandoval condemned the comments as “extremely insensitive, hurtful, and abhorrent.” He claimed there must be a welcoming and safe environment for transgender and gender-diverse individuals on campus, affirming their right to visibility and inclusion.
Critics say Sandoval failed to address the broader issues of biological men being allowed to play in women’s sports. Furthermore, his call for “more education” on Diversity, Inclusion, Equity, and Access (DEIA) initiatives comes as a lawsuit filed by 16 female college athletes against the NCAA over the participation of transgender competitors in women’s sports.
The central figure in the lawsuit is Lia Thomas, a biological male athlete whose victory in the 2022 NCAA Swimming Championships ignited the debate over fairness and inclusion in sports. The plaintiffs are demanding that the NCAA revise its rules to disqualify biological males from competing against female athletes and strip trans athletes of any awards won in those competitions.
Riley Gaines, one of the athletes involved in the lawsuit, stated, “I’m suing the NCAA along with 15 other collegiate athletes who have lost out on titles, records, and roster spots to men posing as women.”
Nevada made history in 2019 by becoming the first in the nation to have a female-majority state legislature. Subsequent initiatives, such as the ceremonial passage of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) measure in 2022, further solidified its reputation as a trailblazer in the fight for gender equity.
However, as the spotlight turns to UNR and its handling of the transgender issue, the university faces growing criticism. Meanwhile, there are open records requests for the DEIA budget at UNR after staff opposed the required DEIA training for faculty.
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