Due to a printing error, a previous draft of the following story was printed in our May edition. Below is the final draft, meant for publication.

NSAA Transgender Policies

by Devon Walter

With upcoming spring and summer sports, the controversy of what sports transgender athletes can participate in has reached a peak. In January, the Nebraska School Activities Association (NSAA) came to a 6-2 vote for allowing transgender students to participate in sports of their identified gender. Of course this comes with some restrictions and process outlined in the NSAA’s Gender Participation Policy.

To truly understand what these policy are enforcing, one has to understand what it means to be transgender. According to the American Psychological Association,”Transgender is an umbrella term for persons whose gender identity, gender expression or behavior does not conform to that typically associated with the sex to which they were assigned at birth.” For transgender students, this identification can come into conflict with many structures of society. The most recent conflict focuses on athletics. The NSAA has agreed to allowing transgender students to play a sport as their identified gender- but not without going through an extensive process.

According to the NSAA’s Gender Participation Policy, the student and parent are first to contact their school administrator or athletic director in writing, letting them know that the student is transgender and wishes to play a sport that matches their gender identity.  After the school and the NSAA have been notified, a committee is formed and the student must submit proof from a physician, psychologist, or other health care professional affirming “the student’s consistent gender identification and expression.” Medical documents are also submitted including, proof of “hormonal therapy, sexual reassignment surgery, physiological testing, counseling, and other medical or psychological interventions.” If this isn’t accepted/approved by the committee, the transgender student will be unable to participate in the sports of their gender identity.

Ultimately each student is unique. It’s each school’s job to provide a healthy, safe, and nurturing environment for them. With this new law, schools are taking a step in that direction.