A trans athlete rails against colleges for not offering a full scholarship to compete as a runner
Transgender NCAA athlete Sadie Schreiner posted a video on social media complaining about the lack of transfer opportunities for trans athletes in college this year.
Schreiner, who competed at Division-III Rochester Institute of Technology, lamented the lack of options presented to trans athletes who want to transition this year, as 25 U.S. states have passed laws prevent trans inclusion in women’s sports.
“Among all the hurdles that transfers usually have, there’s the added layer of being trans, 50% of the country barred me from attending, and that meant I couldn’t attend any of those colleges even if they gave me a full ride,” Schreiner said. However, current laws would not bar Schreiner from “attending” those colleges, just competing on women’s sports teams.
“It also became clear that the states that were, no matter how adamant the coaches were about having me on their teams, college administrations would usually prevent them from allowing me to participate.”
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Sadie Schreiner qualifies in the 400 meters at the 2024 NCAA DIII Outdoor Track and Field Championships at Doug Shaw Memorial Stadium on May 24, 2024 in Myrtle Beach, SC. (Jahi Chikwendiu/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
Schreiner has been a controversial figure in women’s track and field this year after her performance at the 2024 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships in May. There, the biological athlete finished in last place in the 400 m, but still took a place in the competition that could have belonged to a biological woman.
Earlier that month, Schreiner competed at the Liberty League Championship Meet and won the women’s 200m and 400m races, breaking the 400m record in the process. Schreiner would have finished last by more than two seconds if the athlete had achieved the same performance in the men’s competition.
Despite the serious backlash from the controversy, Schreiner is now seeking more opportunities to compete against female athletes and has publicly expressed frustration at the lack of opportunities. But Schreiner isn’t just talking about the sports issue regarding transgender rights.
Schreiner on Tuesday lamented the overall social and political climate surrounding transgender views and rights in the US, but Schreiner also insisted the athlete will compete at the NCAA level in 2025.
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“Trans people are under active attack right now, and our rights are being taken away, and those in power support it or just allow it,” Schreiner said. “But we’re not going anywhere. I’m not going anywhere, and I’m sure come this January, you’ll see me competing on the track again.”
Schreiner’s grievances came on the final day of a year that has been fraught with controversy surrounding trans athletes in women’s sports, both in the US and abroad.
President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to introduce a blanket ban on transgender participation in girls’ and women’s sports in his upcoming term with seemingly unanimous support from other Republicans on the issue. However, Democrats are divided on the issue. Far leftists like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez have remained supportive of trans inclusion, while more moderates like Seth Moulton have dropped their support for it.
On Dec. 20, President Joe Biden’s Department of Education withdrew a proposed rule change that would have prohibited schools from preventing trans athletes from competing in women’s sports.
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Sadie Schreiner puts a transgender flag in her hair before going to the awards stand after finishing 3rd in the 200m final at the 2024 NCAA DIII Outdoor Track and Field Championships at Doug Shaw Memorial Stadium on May 25, 2024 in Myrtle Beach, SC. (Jahi Chikwendiu/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
“The Department recognizes that there are multiple pending claims related to the application of Title IX in the context of gender identity, including claims related to the application of Title IX to athletic eligibility criteria in various factual contexts. In light of the comments received and the various pending court cases, the Department has decided that in will not regulate this issue at this time,” the document says.
Several states filed lawsuits and passed their own laws to address the problem after the Biden-Harris administration issued a sweeping rule that clarified that Title IX’s ban on “sex” discrimination in schools covers discrimination based on gender identity, sexual orientation and “pregnancy or related conditions.”
In August, the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 to deny the administration an emergency request to implement that sweeping rule. The request would have biological males allowed in women’s bathrooms, locker rooms and dormitories in the 10 states where there are state and local rules preventing it.
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