Few topics spark as much passionate debate these days as the participation of transgender athletes in women’s sports. It’s an issue that continues to dominate headlines and divide opinions across the country.
In recent years, the conversation around fairness, inclusion, and competitive balance in women’s athletics has intensified. Supporters argue that transgender athletes deserve the same opportunities as anyone else, while critics question whether their participation undermines the integrity of female competition.
Nowhere has this controversy been more visible than in Oregon, where a recent high school sports event has brought the issue back into sharp focus—fueling both outrage and support, and once again placing the spotlight on a national debate that shows no signs of slowing down.
At the Oregon State High School Track and Field Championships, the spotlight wasn’t just on athletic performance—it was also on protest.
In a moment that quickly drew national attention, Reese Eckard of Sherwood High School and Alexa Anderson of Tigard High made headlines not for their speed or skill, but for what they chose not to do after the race was over.
Rather than stepping onto the podium alongside the other medalists, the two athletes remained on the ground, standing quietly behind the platform. Their action was a silent protest aimed at the inclusion of a transgender competitor from Ida B. Wells High School, who had just taken the top spot in the girls’ high jump event.
Footage of the scene shows Eckard and Anderson refusing their designated podium positions—sending a clear message without saying a word. Their protest has since gone viral, sparking heated discussions across the country about fairness, inclusion, and the future of women’s sports.
In 2023 and 2024, the transgender athlete competed in the boys’ category. But this year marked a significant shift—as they entered the girls’ high jump event at the state level. Despite finishing in fifth place, the outcome placed them ahead of Reese Eckard, who came in fourth, and Alexa Anderson, who placed third.
Rather than accepting their medals in the traditional fashion, Eckard and Anderson made a quiet but powerful statement. As the awards ceremony began, the two turned away from the podium, refusing to join the line-up. When approached by an official, they were instructed to move aside—so they stepped away and stood to the side, their backs to the celebration.
The moment, caught on camera, quickly went viral after being shared across social media. Among those weighing in was Riley Gaines, a former NCAA swimmer and prominent conservative commentator who has been outspoken about transgender participation in women’s sports.
“Watch this,” Gaines wrote. “Two female athletes in Oregon refused to stand on the podium because a boy was awarded a place. Girls have had enough.”
Elsewhere online, the two young athletes were met with a wave of praise for their quiet act of defiance. Supporters flooded social media with messages applauding their courage, calling the protest a principled stand for fairness in women’s sports—not an act of hate, but of conviction.
Many commenters emphasized that Eckard and Anderson’s decision to step away from the podium was not rooted in animosity, but in their belief that biological differences create an uneven playing field. For them, it was about protecting the integrity of female competition and speaking out—peacefully—when they felt that boundary had been crossed.
Their protest has since become a flashpoint in the broader conversation, sparking both solidarity and controversy, and further fueling a debate that continues to divide not only athletic communities, but the nation at large.