A Connecticut high school sophomore dominated in last week's track and field competition - but the transgender teen's big win has some people outraged and wondering if it's fair she was allowed to compete.
Terry Miller, who was born a male but identifies as a female, came in first place twice during the June 4 CIAC State Open track and field competition. During the 100m dash, Miller smoked her competition, finishing the race in just 11.72 seconds. She also killed it in the 200m dash finishing in 24.17 seconds, the Daily Mail reports.
The Bulkeley High School teen, who competed on the boys' team during the winter indoor track season, set new state records last Monday in both races, the CT Post reports.
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Fellow transgender sprinter, Andraya Yearwood, also dominated at the competition finishing in second place in the 100m dash.
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Advertise with NZME.Last year, Yearwood came in first in both the 100 and 200m dashes at the Class M state track and field championship. She competed in the races last year before undergoing hormone treatments.
It's not clear if Yearwood or Miller underwent treatments before competing in this year's competition.
Some of the girls' competitors were angry they were allowed to compete on the women's team.
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"I think it's unfair to the girls who work really hard to do well and qualify for Open and New Englands," Glastonbury sophomore Selina Soule told the Hartford Courant.
Soule finished in sixth place in the 100m dash.
"These girls, they're just coming in and beating everyone," she added. "I have no problem with them wanting to be a girl".
The teen's mother, Bianca Stanescu, told CT Post that there is no transgender competition when it comes to things like "maths and science and chorus" but with sports it's different.
"Sports are set up for fairness," she said. "Biologically male and female are different, adding that 'the great majority is being sacrificed for the minority'."
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According to the Hartford Courant, Stanescu has got about 60 people to sign a petition calling for the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference to change its rule that athletes are allowed to compete in the gender specific sport in which they identify.
A second petition started by a father-of-two is also calling for the rule to be changed. As of Monday, it had more than 80 supporters.
Lorenzo Milledge, a coach from Simsbury, said the "rule needs to be changed".
Glastonbury coach Brian Collins told the CT Post that he agrees it's not fair for Miller and Yearwood to compete on the girls' team. Collins was among the group of people who signed Stanescu's petition.
"The way the law is written, Terry Miller is eligible to compete," he said. "I think a lot of people, myself included, have a problem with … a biological male competing. When they put the state law in effect, my interpretation is it wasn't made for high school sports. I think it was meant for all people — whether transgender, bisexual, gay — are treated fairly. I totally agree with that, but with sports it's not a level playing field."
There are, however, some people rooting for Yearwood and Miller.
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Advertise with NZME.Bridget Lalonde, a student at RHAM High School who finished in third place in the 100m dash, told the CT Post that she was not upset the transgender teens beat her.
"To be honest, I think it's great they get a chance to compete and as long as they're happy, I guess, there's not that much I can do," she said. "The rules are the rules. The only competition is the clock. You can only run as fast as you can."
Newton student Carly Swierbut agreed telling the outlet: "If you're good enough to run, you're good enough to run. If somebody wants to win, they're going to work their tail off to win. It doesn't matter who you are, what you are, everybody should have the chance."
