OPINION | This article contains the author's opinion.
Soren Stark-Chessa, a high school sophomore at Maine Coast Waldorf School, had previously competed in the boys’ category, ranking around 172nd among males in the state.
Following a “transition” to female just one year later, Stark-Chessa achieved a 4th place position in the girls’ division during the 5k race.
This has sparked widespread outrage from both parents and students.
Cheater boy from Freeport, ME Soren Stark-Chessa displaces the 11th placed girl from a medal, as expected.
He finishes the girls race 5th.
Pathetic.
The #MainePrincipalsAssociation are woke morons. pic.twitter.com/DxbIFBgdzl
— Shawn McBreairty 🇺🇸 (@ShawnMcBreairty) September 30, 2023
One of the parents, Katherine Collins from Winterport, Maine said, “It’s all a matter of unfairness. The men are bigger, stronger and faster than women.”
Biological males possess a significant physical advantage compare to women. Specifically in regards to cross country running, males have larger respiratory systems, longer legs, larger feet, and significantly more lower body muscle mass.
“Obviously, there is an unfair advantage, but they’ve allowed this. Last year, in outdoor track, in the Class-C state meet, two boys participated,” Collins said.
“One podiumed and was moved on to the New England track meet. So a girl was put aside and not allowed to medal and not allowed to participate in a higher level because of this boy.” she added.
The policy says, “All students should have the opportunity to participate in MPA activities in a manner that is consistent with their gender identity, unless such participation would result in an unfair athletic advantage or would present an unacceptable risk of injury to other student athletes.”
“The only reason that this boy did not win the meet on Saturday is because Greene has some of the strongest female athletes in the nation. The first two girls who finished the race on Saturday,” Collins continued.
“The first-place winner ranks number 8th in the country and the second-place winner ranks number 15th in the country.”
“If it wasn’t for these top-ranked girls who are faster than most girls in the whole United States, this boy would have won the entire girls’ cross-country meet,” Collins said.
A competitor said, “It is not fair to a female who has trained hard. Males are biologically faster than females, with testosterone. They need to run under their biological gender.”