Stephanie Labeck: You can’t divide us — Transgender athletes have a right to play

When Gov. Chris Sununu signed discrimination protections into law in 2018, he stated that "... New Hampshire is a place where every person, regardless of their background, has an equal and full opportunity to pursue their dreams and to make a better life for themselves and their families." However, a slate of legislation that is currently in the New Hampshire Senate aims to threaten just that.

One of the bills, HB 1205, has struck a chord in me in particular as a lifelong athlete and Granite Stater who has played sports since the age of 7 all the way until college where I competed on Plymouth State University’s Swimming and Diving Team and club Ultimate Frisbee Team.

HB 1205 is a transgender-exclusionary sports ban that would prohibit trans athletes in grades five through 12 from playing sports in New Hampshire public schools and clubs despite the New Hampshire Interscholastic Athletic Association saying “that it would be fundamentally unjust” to ban trans athletes from participating.

For as long as I can remember, sports have been a fundamental part of my life. The lessons I’ve learned, the wins (and losses), the opportunities to work together with and learn from my teammates, have all been invaluable not just in shaping the joy of my childhood but creating a foundation for the person I am today.

But bans like HB 1205, and other ones like it that have popped up across the country recently, threaten that experience and joy that all kids deserve to have, including transgender athletes in New Hampshire.

If passed, HB 1205 would also lead to unnecessary intrusions on student-athletes by requiring them to submit a birth certificate or provide “other evidence,” to participate in team sports that align with their gender identity, creating a slew of new liabilities for schools that fail to comply. Furthermore, transgender athletes have the right to participate on teams that align with their gender, as codified by Title IX and New Hampshire’s own transgender non-discrimination law.

Bans like HB 1205 simply do not protect or promote fairer or more equitable athletics for women. Rather, their purpose is to target, exclude and push a transphobic narrative built on prejudice that has severe mental and emotional consequences for transgender Granite Staters.

HB 1205 would put the integrity of New Hampshire school athletic programs at risk by adding the administrative burden for athletic departments to police the gender of student-athletes solely for the purpose of excluding an already-marginalized group.

Sports are a critical part of our culture and a tool for social development: It is morally wrong to deprive someone of all that sports offer our young people as they develop into well-rounded, responsible adults — because they are transgender. That is discrimination.

As a broad group of women athletes in the Granite State, we ask our fellow neighbors, friends, and community members to join us in opposing this bill. Transgender athletes are our teammates, peers, competitors, and friends. Their participation strengthens all of us. For the benefit of our student-athletes, schools, and the integrity of competition, we encourage you to reject these harmful and divisive bills and any others that restrict the rights of transgender student-athletes.

We cannot stay silent while members of our community face discrimination.

•••

Stephanie Labeck is an alumna of the Plymouth State University Swimming and Diving and Ultimate Frisbee teams. She is joined by nearly 200 other signatories in this piece.

Amanda Allard, Franklin — former swim coach, Mount Washington Valley Dolphins

Ande Allison — student-athlete, University of New Hampshire, soccer

Addison Alpers, Bristol — student athlete, cross country, alpine ski, track

Beth Anderson, Manchester — former student-athlete

Sage Anthony, Pittsfield — former varsity student-athlete

Alyssa Antman, Concord — former student-athlete

Susan C. Bacon, Durham

Tessa Barducci, Conway — parent of student-athletes

Rachel Bartlett, Sandwich — varsity Nordic ski coach

Abby Batchelder, Plymouth

Matthew Batchelder, Plymouth

Jennifer Beaudoin, Concord — former student-athlete at Raymond High School

Rebecca Beaulieu, Dover — former student-athlete, track

Eric Benevides, Gilford

Abigail Bone, Danville

Emma Bragg, Newmarket — hockey

Tricia Brannen, Goffstown

Molly Brennan, Weare — varsity basketball

Nancy Brennan, Weare — middle and high school cross country coach

Lindsay Brown, Andover — softball coach at Proctor Academy

Abigail Bryant, Moultonborough — former student-athlete, volleyball, alpine and tennis at Moultonborough Academy

Ashley Bullard, North Sandwich — athlete and former middle/high coach at Inter-Lakes Middle/High School

Holland Calcutt, Francestown — student-athlete, soccer, Nordic skiing, lacrosse at the Dublin School

Aliya Caldwell, Dover — former student-athlete

Emily Carrara, Manchester

Stephanie Cawley, Center Conway — former student-athlete, Burncoat High School, Worcester, Massachusetts

Mia Centrella, Merrimack — dancer

Adah Chapman, Moultonborough — student-athlete, soccer, XC, Nordic, alpine, track & field at Moultonborough Academy

Lillian Chapman, Bedford — student-athlete, cross country at Bedford High School

Jennifer Chapman, Moultonborough — Nordic ski coach at Moultonborough Academy

Justin Chapman, Moultonborough — parent of student-athletes at Moultonborough Academy

Sarah Chapman, Nottingham — student-athlete at Exeter High School '99

Jessica Chasse, Windham — former student-athlete, current marathoner

Sammi Chickering, Concord — Southern New Hampshire University softball '10; Hillsboro-Deering High School volleyball, basketball, softball '06

Shannon Choquette, Hooksett

Madilyn Cilley, Temple

Michelle Cilley Foisy, Temple — soccer, runner, youth soccer coach

Tamara Clark, Hudson — New Hampshire Roller Derby

Kate Coon, Peterborough — former student-athlete, former assistant coach, Noble and Greenough School

Amanda Reynolds Cooper, Exeter — skater, New Hampshire Roller Derby

Carley Crain, Manchester — student-athlete, cross country and track at Central '19 and Springfield College '23

Hannah Crilley, Dover — skater, New Hampshire Roller Derby

Lisa Demaine, Dover — softball, basketball and soccer at Epping High School '12

Courtney Dillon, Durham — former student-athlete, soccer, tennis

Mollie DiPietro-Conklin, Barrington — former student-athlete, BYA, Barrington

Lauren Dkov, Exeter — Kearsarge

Jillian Andrews Dubois, Concord — former student-athlete, Pembroke Academy Spirit (two-time NHIAA champion), UNH cheerleading

Melissa Dunn, Manchester

Matt Durant, Newmarket — former track coach at Portsmouth High School

Sharon Eaton, Pembroke — parent of student-athlete

Shana Elburn, Alstead — varsity indoor track and lacrosse at Westfield High School

Elise, Boscawen — former student-athlete

Krista English, Concord

Anna Ferrara, Hooksett — gym owner, Ascent Training and Performance

Brianna Firth, Pembroke — roller derby, New Hampshire Roller Derby

Delaney Forrestall, Henniker — former field hockey student-athlete at John Stark Regional High School

Katie Forrestall, Henniker — former volleyball student-athlete at John Stark Regional High School

Cathleen Fountain, Dalton — former student-athlete, Edison Junior High and St. Columbkille, Brighton, Massachusetts

Melissa Florio, Freedom — gymnastics

Stacey Gagnon, Nashua

Hannah Gillis — former student athlete, cross country and track & field

Jody Girouard, Plymouth — parent of student-athlete, Plymouth Regional High School

Adara Glidden, New Hampton — student-athlete, soccer, cheer, track

Soraya Glidden, New Hampton — student-athlete, outdoor/indoor soccer, track & field, cross country, jiu-jitsu, snowboarding

Loreley Godfrey, Portsmouth — student-athlete, soccer, swim, rugby

Rosalyn Gordon, Alexandria — student-athlete, track & field at Newfound Regional High School

Shadow Gorrill, Ossipee — athlete, swim coach, former ski and snowboard coach

Jessica Grampetro, Mont Vernon — former varsity high school and collegiate athlete

Abigail Hambrook, Sandwich — former coach, former student-athlete (field hockey, nordic ski team, softball)

James Hiltz, Pembroke

Melissa Hinebacuh, Concord — recruited by the Women’s Professional Football League, student-athlete, coach

Madeline Hodgman-Korth — former JV soccer play at the Derryfield School

Sarah Horne, Manchester

Samantha Huard, Manchester — soccer player, coach

Shaeleen Hughes, Plymouth — Plymouth State University

Madeleine Hunt, Bedford — Souhegan Cooperative High School cross country and track & field alumnus '17, former DII state cross country champion, former DI collegiate cross country and track & field athlete

Joy Hurwitz, Concord — ally

Sofia Hyatt, Portsmouth — former JV basketball player at Phillips Exeter Academy

Evie Ippolito, Portsmouth — former student-athlete, track & field, at Portsmouth High School

Maëlle Jacques, Newbury — student-athlete, soccer, track & field, Kearsarge Regional High School

Melanie Hodge, Sandwich — parent of student-athlete

Trish Kelshaw, Durham — former NCAA DI student-athlete

Beth Ketaineck, Contoocook — soccer player, skier and youth soccer coach

Cecilia Kiely, Nottingham — high school student-athlete and collegiate rugby player at Brown University

Katie King, Dover — varsity track at Exeter High School

Susan Kjellberg, Sandwich — mother of a student-athlete at Inter-Lakes Middle/High School and racer for Gunstock Ski Club

Angie Krysiak, Raymond — yoga teacher

Aubrianne LaDuke, Manchester — former student-athlete at Campbell High School

Sydney Lambert, Concord — jiu-jitsu at Kaze Dojo, soccer at Lisbon Regional School

Amanda Lavertu, Franklin — high school girls basketball coach, college basketball; high school: softball, basketball, volleyball

Kat Legier, Dover — former student-athlete, field hockey

Carlie Leino, Hopkinton — field hockey, Nordic skiing, lacrosse, Hopkinton School District

Natalie Leino, Hopkinton — adult soccer player, youth girls lacrosse coach

Emryn Lessie, Concord — former varsity softball student-athlete

Chrissy Lebel, Kensington — softball coach, Exeter

Abby Levene, Dublin — runner, Princeton '13, Phillips Academy Andover '09

Emma Levin, Portsmouth — field hockey, tennis, lacrosse at Portsmouth High School

Sarah Love, Sandwich — parent of high school student-athlete

Barbara MacLeod, Portsmouth — former student-athlete at Kearsarge Regional High School

Amy Manzelli, Pembroke — mom of teen trans sports player

Lexi Marcoux, Manchester — soccer player

Erika Maris-Teal, Hudson — student-athlete, basketball, track & field, fencing

Jillian Matson, Kingston

Dana Mazurowski, Bedford

Kathleen Matz, East Hampstead — ally of LGBTQ+ student athletes

Abi Maxwell, Concord — parent

Sarah McCarthy, Manchester — student-athlete, Vermont

Julianna McGuire — student-athlete, swimming, Plymouth State University

Cait McKay, Concord — former Special Olympics coach

Kelsey McNaught, Hopkinton — powerlifting competitor

Serena McFarlane

Sophie Merrow — former student athlete

Christina Miller, Manchester — parent

Diana Moore, Concord — parent of a student-athlete

Phoebe Morris, Concord — student

Sayre Moskwa, Concord — former student-athlete

Grace Murray, Rochester — youth soccer program in Rochester

Alison Murphy, Concord — skater, New Hampshire Roller Derby

Caitlin Murphy, Concord — skater, New Hampshire Roller Derby

Bryn Neenos, Plymouth

Aubrey Nelson, Concord — soccer player, mountain biker, ski coach, tennis player, wilderness trip leader

Rebecca Nelson-Avery, Manchester — school administrator and former student-athlete

Jessica Nickerson, Hampton

Cora Nicoll, Freedom — former dance team member in Conway

Nikki, Waterville Valley — student-Athlete

Kimberly Noyes, Fremont — skater, New Hampshire Roller Derby

Hannah O'Connor, Dover — student-athlete, field hockey at Dover High School

Megan O'Gara, Pembroke — field hockey

Bridget O’Neil, Plymouth — Student-athlete at elementary, middle, high school, and college levels

Jaime O'Neill, Manchester

Rachel Pamplin, Plymouth — student-athlete, field hockey and alpine skiing at Plymouth Regional High School

Mary Lou Paquette, Concord — Former student-athlete; high school and USAF

Bryce Paradise, Pittsfield — former student-athlete

Angela Paris, Plymouth — former student-athlete, parent of student-athlete

Matthew Paris, Plymouth — parent of a student-athlete, former student-athlete

Becky Parton, Henniker — parent of student athletes

Sara Persechino, Hopkinton — adult women’s soccer player, youth girls soccer coach

Sayward Page, Derry

Sam Paolini, Brentwood — jiu-jitsu practitioner, Port City BJJ

Olivia Pexton, Dover — former student-athlete, volleyball and track & field, Portsmouth High School

Elizabeth Pieroni, Hooksett — former student-athlete, Hooksett/Manchester parent of current student-athletes

Josie Pinto, Dover — former student-athlete, tennis, softball and soccer

Raven Mackenzie Phillips, Candia — skater, New Hampshire Roller Derby

Melissa Plante, Concord — roller derby

Eve Porter-Zuckerman, Sandwich — former student-athlete, parent

Kendra Drown Potts, Concord

Karen Prazar, Nottingham — former student-athlete, rower, Phillips Exeter ‘99, Brown ‘04

William Preble, Candia — former high school football coach, college hockey player

Lucy Proulx, South Strafford — student-athlete, soccer, skiing at Sharon Academy

Ashley Reynolds, Hopkinton

Leigh Ann Reynolds, Waterville Valley — basketball, volleyball, long distance hiker, outdoor educator, pickleball

Marlia Richer, Sutton — cross-country, cross-country skiing, track & field at Kearsarge Regional High School ‘21

Ginger Riege-Blackman, Chichester

Adriane Robbins, Temple

Elizabeth Robertson, Gilford — student-athlete, founding female soccer varsity team, former pole vault record holder, at Gilford High School

Sarah Robinson, Concord — former student-athlete, varsity lacrosse & field hockey at Bow High School

Ella Ronci — student-athlete, cross country running and skiing

Bethany Ross, Nashua — roller derby official

Avery Roy, Manchester — skater, New Hampshire Roller Derby

Geneva Sambor, Plymouth — former middle school cross country coach

Brianna Sawyer, Merrimack — roller derby

Corinne Shea, Amherst — Former varsity student-athlete, parent

Nancy Sheridan, Tamworth

Redd Sites, Milford

Melody Soroka, Newmarket — wrestling, track & field

Megan Soucy, Merrimack

Jessica Smith, Concord

Annabel Smolenski, Bridgewater — student-athlete, field hockey, track & field

Brian Stillson, New London — soccer

Willow Strother, North Sandwich — cross country, Nordic skiing at Inter-Lakes High School

Grady Sullivan, Manchester — roller derby athlete

Jennifer Summers, Andover — coach, mountain biking and Nordic skiing at Proctor Academy

Tess Sumner, Danbury — soccer, skiing

Sara Tirrell, Plymouth — former student-athlete, parent of two student-athletes

Amelia Thompson, Newmarket — tennis

Brynn Toohey, Plaistow — hockey, cross country, and baseball at Timberlane High School '08

Chad Turmelle, Pembroke — parent of trans athlete

Jennifer Tyrell, Pittsfield — teacher, coach, former student-athlete, and member of Granite State Roller Derby

Isabella Valliere, Hill — track student-athlete

Laura Vincent, Loudon

Karla Waldron, Weare — former varsity soccer at John Stark Regional High School

Suzanne Weil, Sandwich

Blaze Wenzel, Barnstead

Kate West, Concord — former varsity softball player and cross country runner at Kearsarge Regional High School

Nicole Wehry — roller derby

LauraLee Worthen, Bristol — jiu-jitsu

Emily Zajano, Exeter — crew