At a press conference in Cleveland Saturday, University of South Carolina women’s basketball head coach Dawn Staley stood up for transgender women in sports.
The conference, which was meant to celebrate achievements in women’s basketball, was veered into trans inclusion by right-wing reporter Dan Zaksheke of Outkick.
Video of the interaction was shared on X by journalist Lindsay Gibbs.
“Coach, you just talked about what a massive weekend this is obviously for women’s basketball, women’s sports in general,” Zaksheske said. “One of the major issues facing women’s sports right now is the debate discussion topic about the inclusion of transgender athletes, biological males in women’s sports. I was wondering if you would tell me your position on that issue.”
Staley, who seemed taken aback by the question, took a sip of water before responding.
“I am under the opinion if you are a woman, you should play,” she said. “If you consider yourself a woman and you want to play sports or vice versa, you should be able to play. That’s my opinion.”
Zaksheske was unsatisfied with her answer and pushed further, asking “Do you think transgender women should be able to participate?”
“In college?”
Staley responded, “That’s [the] question you want to ask, so I’ll give you that. Yes. Yes.”
Saturday’s conference came a day before South Carolina Gamecocks defeated Iowa Hawkeyes at Sunday’s women’s basketball NCAA tournament.
This marks South Carolina’s third NCAA title since Staley took over the team in 2008. Staley’s transformative work with the team has been widely acknowledged. She’s been awarded the Naismith National Coach of the Year four times in the past five years.
Trans inclusion in sports has been a hot-button topic for right-wing conservatives, especially ramping up in recent years. At least 20 states have approved a ban on trans athletes playing on K-12 and collegiate sports teams.
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