A California mother, Christi Clark, has launched a petition demanding that state lawmakers ban biological males from competing in women’s sports after her daughter was injured in a recent high school field hockey game.
Clark says the injury occurred when her daughter collided with a transgender athlete competing on the girls’ team, raising fresh questions about safety, fairness, and the future of women’s athletics in the state.
According to Clark, her daughter is recovering. Still, the incident highlighted what she believes to be a previous imbalance: “He was bigger, faster, stronger… and somehow this is considered ‘fair’?’ she wrote in a post on Facebook.
She explained that she had already reached out to California Governor Gavin Newsom, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla, and California Secretary of State Shirley Weber before deciding to start a petition on Change.org.
The petition titled “Ban biologica males in women’s sports in California” quickly started gaining attention and has already gathered hundreds of signatures.
In her appeal, Clark stresses that this is not about politics but about protecting girls’ safety and ensuring the integrity of women’s sports. She wrote,
“Women have fought for years for equality in sports. We need to protect our daughters,”
Christi Clark
The petition calls on California lawmakers and athletic governing bodies to establish “clear guidelines” that would prevent biological males from competing in women’s sports.
Public reaction to Clark’s petition has been passionate. On Change.org, numerous parents and community members expressed their support for her cause.
Elaine from Hollister, who said she attended the game, wrote,
I was at this particular game watching my niece and was in disbelief that they allowed this. He was much faster than the girls and swung that hockey stick much harder launching that ball harder and farther. I get they may not have had a boys field hockey team but it doesn’t mean they should allow him to play with the girls team, even if he identifi…
Elaine
Another supporter, Susan from Morgan Hill, echoed the concern about physical disparities.
Boys are built differently! They have stronger physical traits and adorn the most part are much stronger! What female hasn’t fought your male sibling when youn were young and hasn’t noticed how much stronger they are??! It’s scientifically proven most males are stronger than women! Please stay out of women’s sports and locker rooms!”
Susan
Alyce from Sonora was more blunt in her response, writing simply: “This should have never been allowed in the first place!”
On Facebook, Clark’s post got additional attention from advocacy groups such as Stand With Riley Gaines, which campaigns against the inclusion of transgender women in female athletics.
Supporters urged Clark to keep fighting and promised to spread the petition. Some even suggested relocating to more conservative states, where restrictions on transgender athletes are already in place.
Clark herself replied that she and her family plan to move to Tennessee once her children graduate from high school.
The debate around transgender participation in sports remains one of the most contentious cultural issues in the United States.
California law allows transgender students to compete on teams that match their gender identity.
But Clark and other parents argue that this policy puts girls at risk and compromises decades of progress toward fairness in women’s sports.
