Dozens of current and former college athletes have sent a letter asking the NCAA Board of Governors to reconsider returning championship-level events to North Carolina.
The effort, signed by 166 athletes, was led by Chris Mosier, the transgender triathlete and duathlete who last year competed in North Carolina after the passing of HB2.
Mosier and the signees have not yet received a response to the letter, which you can read here exclusively:
Dear NCAA Board of Governors,
Sport creates unique and powerful bonds. No matter our background, our hobbies, or our majors in school, as athletes we become family and rally around the successes and contributions of all of our teammates. We write as athletes who have excelled in sport and thrived because of our ability to participate fully. We know that inclusion and respect of all on our teams is an essential piece of what makes sport great.
North Carolina’s House Bill 2 (HB2) and House Bill 142 (HB142) put athletes at risk for discrimination, harassment, and exclusion. These laws single out transgender people both sending the message that transgender people are unworthy of legal protection and worse still, that they should be excluded from public life.
HB2 and its mirror image HB142 create unsafe environments for people who are or who are perceived to be LGBTQ, with a particular focus on and particular harms to transgender people. They authorize discrimination and dangerously situate transgender people as a threat to the safety and privacy of others – which we are not.
Last week, the North Carolina General Assembly announced a compromise with the Governor and passed what they called a “repeal” of HB2, the law that had been passed last year barring most transgender people from using facilities that match our gender.
But HB142, the new law, is not a repeal of HB2. It still prevents LGBTQ people, and particularly transgender people, from being safe in North Carolina. It prevents cities, counties and schools from passing protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity, and creates an untenable situation for transgender individuals across the state who are left in limbo without any guidance on how they can avoid criminalization and/or exclusion when using restrooms and locker rooms. The new law, HB142, represents a peak of arbitrariness essentially telling local governments, schools and universities that they must not protect transgender people from discrimination when using restrooms thereby setting transgender individuals up for exclusion and discrimination.
This type of discriminatory mandate did not align with NCAA values the first time around, and it still discriminates against a population of the NCAA’s membership.
All athletes, coaches, and fans should have access to the sports they love, and an essential part of that is the ability to exist in public spaces without the fear of harassment, violence, or exclusion. Locker rooms and restrooms should be free from discrimination for all people, including LGBTQ people. HB142 denies transgender people equal opportunity to access public and athletic spaces and sends a message that the transgender community is not welcome in North Carolina. And indeed, in condoning – and rewarding – this discriminatory conduct in North Carolina, the NCAA has sent the message to transgender people across the country that they are not safe as more states may act to pass comparable legislation without fear of consequences.
The NCAA has an obligation to stand up and protect its student athletes. As members of the athletic community, whether we are on the court or field, coaching on the sideline, or attending a game as a fan, we expect to be safe attending events. Any question of our safety limits our ability to participate fully and give our best to the game.
The safety of the LGBTQ athletic community cannot be an afterthought. This is about more than a revenue stream through a state. It is about more than championship games. This is about the lives of our teammates and friends, not just on game day, but everyday. This is about our dignity and worth as human beings and whether transgender people can be a part of society on equal terms as their friends, colleagues and teammates.
North Carolina doubled down on discrimination; now the NCAA must double down on its principles to ensure that all members of the community, including LGBTQ athletes, coaches, and fans are protected, included, and respected at its events. There is no way this can happen in the state of North Carolina with HB142 in place.
Therefore, we, the undersigned members of the athletic community, call on NCAA to uphold its values of inclusion – full inclusion – and stay out of North Carolina until HB2 and HB142 are fully repealed and all of the NCAA’s athletes, coaches, and fans are safe.
Sincerely,
The Undersigned Members of the Athletic Community
Abby Waite, Former college athlete (DI Soccer)
Abigail Meyer, Current college athlete (Soccer)
Adam Mccabe, Current professional athlete (DIII Soccer)
Adrienne Johnson, Former college athlete (DI Track & Field)
Aimee Kim, Former college athlete (Taekwondo)
Alex Casey, Current college athlete (DIII Track & Field)
Alex Smock, Current college athlete (Lacrosse)
Alexia Pratt, Current college athlete (DIII Softball)
Alison Bell, Former college athlete (Women's Ice Hockey)
Alyssa Chwick, Former college athlete (DIII Ice Hockey)
Amanda Minsky, Former college athlete (Lacrosse)
Amber Farrell, Former college athlete (DI Track & Field)
Amy Reams, Former college athlete, (DI Swimming)
Andrea Mitchell, Former college athlete (DIII Lacrosse)
Andrew Goldstein, Former college athlete (DI Lacrosse)
Anna Aagenes, Former college athlete (DI Track & Field, Cross Country)
Anna Frick, Former college athlete (DI Crew)
Armando Corpus, Current coach (Distance running)
Ashley Glenn, Former college athlete (DIII Lacrosse)
Athena Del Rosario, Current college athlete (DIII Women’s soccer)
Audrey Busby, Current college athlete (DIII Soccer and Swimming)
August Hirschboeck, Current college athlete (Tae Kwon Do)
Austin da Luz, Current professional athlete (DII Soccer)
Bob Glover, Current professional athlete (DI Men's Swimming)
Brian Stankiewicz, Current college athlete (DII Cross-Country)
Briana Horrocks, Current college athlete (DI Basketball)
Britney Stinson, Current professional athlete (DI Football)
Brittany Reynolds, Current college athlete (DII Volleyball)
Brittney Hegarty, Former college athlete (DII Lacrosse)
Cami Crawford, Former college athlete (DIII Soccer)
Carly Lockard, Former college athlete (DI Track & Field, Cross Country)
Chandler Frumin, Current college athlete (DI Rowing)
Charles Flinn Former college athlete (DI Basketball)
Chris Cassingham, Current college athlete (DIII Swimming)
Chris Mosier, Current professional athlete (triathlon)
Christina Chala, Former college athlete (DIII Water Polo)
Claire Farel, Former college athlete (DIII Cross Country and Track)
Codi Fletcher, Current college athlete (Rugby)
Cole Courtemanche, Former college athlete (DI Men's Swimming)
Conner Mertens, Former college athlete (DIII Football)
Connor Lohman, Current college athlete (DI Swimming)
Craig Westfall, Current college athlete (DII Track)
Crystal Yamazaki, Former college athlete (Tennis)
Dakota Hill, Current coach (DI Softball)
Daniel Hudgins, Current coach (Running)
Daniela Georges, Current college athlete (DI Swimming)
Danielle Hawkins, Former college athlete (DII Softball)
Darian White, Former college athlete (Basketball)
Davis Crocker, Current college athlete (DI Tennis)
Diane Walton, Former college athlete (DI Soccer)
Ed Reid, Former college athlete (Basketball)
Elisha Orama, Former college athlete (DIII Basketball)
Elizabeth Geoghan, Current college athlete (DII Tennis)
Ella Clark, Current college athlete (DIII Softball)
Emily Berkowitz, Former college athlete (Rugby)
Emily Kontos, Former college athlete (DI Women's rowing)
Emily Scott, Current college athlete (DI Women's Soccer)
Emma Horton, Former college athlete (DI Softball)
Emma McCarthy, Current college athlete (DI Swimming)
Erika Gallagher, Current college athlete (Soccer)
Ethan Zakarin, Current college athlete (DIII Basketball)
Etienne Aduya, Former college athlete (DIII Football)
Evan Gorelick, Current coach (Taekwondo)
Evan Weinberger, Former college athlete (DIII Lacrosse)
G Ryan, Current college athlete (DI Swimming)
Grace Thomson, Former college athlete (DII Rugby)
Halley Dewey, Current college athlete (DIII Volleyball)
Hannah Ciolek, Current college athlete (DI Soccer)
Hannah Jaskuta, Current college athlete (DII Women's Lacrosse)
Harrison Browne, Former college athlete (DI Ice hockey)
Hudson Taylor, Former college athlete (DI Wrestling)
Hunter Fromang, Former college athlete (DIII Basketball)
Isaac Grivett, Former college athlete (Long Distance Running, Quidditch)
Isobel Holcomb, Current college athlete (DI Diving)
Jade Jacobs, Former college athlete (DII Swimming)
Jamie Holland, Former college athlete (Dance, Dance Team)
Jan Wilson, Former college athlete (Softball)
Jarvis Brown, Former college athlete (DI Football)
Jasen Shepherd, Current college athlete (DIII Football)
Jasmine Beach-Ferrara, Former college athlete (DI Women's Crew)
Jayme Murphy, Former college athlete (DI Football)
Jeanmarie Petersen, Former college athlete (DIII Lacrosse)
Jennifer Mead, Former college athlete (DI Basketball & Soccer)
Jeremy Ebobisse , Current professional athlete (DI Soccer)
Jeremy Lakin, Former college athlete (DIII Rowing)
John Paul Gaylor, Former college athlete (DI Swimming)
Jon Denton-Schneider, Former college athlete (DI Swimming)
Joseph Matta, Former college athlete (Soccer)
Joshua Walsh, Former college athlete (DI Track & Field)
Joshua Winnecour, Former college athlete (Rugby)
Josie DilloFormer college athlete (DI Basketball)
Julie Williams Former college athlete (DI Track & Field)
Justin Repasky, Former college athlete (Crew/Rowing)
Justin Rogers, Current coach (DI Hockey)
Karen Jackson, Former college athlete (DIII Basketball)
Katherine Birdsall, Former college athlete (DIII Field Hockey)
Kathryn Holt, Current college athlete (DI Women's Golf)
Katie Chockley, Former college athlete (DI Track & Field)
Katie Hnida, Former college athlete (DI Football)
Katrina Donahue, Former college athlete (DI Equestrian)
Keelin Godsey, Former college athlete (DIII Track & Field)
Kennedy Lohman, Current college athlete (DI Swimming)
Kristin Colaur, Former college athlete (DII Rugby)
Kyle McAvoy, Former college athlete (DI Football)
Kyle Steele, Former college athlete (DI Cheerleading)
Liam Miranda, Former college athlete (DI Rowing)
Lindsey Moschet, Former college athlete (DI Ice Hockey)
Luke McAvoy, Former college athlete (DI Football)
Lydia Vandenbergh, Former college athlete (DI Women's Soccer)
M'Kenna Murphy, Current college athlete (DIII Women's Golf)
Macoy McLaughlin, Former college athlete (DIII Soccer)
Marc Kealhofer, Former college athlete (Rowing)
Marcus Thatcher, Former college athlete (DII Track & Field)
Margaret Gardel, Former college athlete (DI Crew)
Marlene Kingree, Former college athlete (DI Crew)
Mary Haskins, Current coach (Track/Running)
Mason Darrow, Former college athlete (DI Football)
Matt Howard, Former college athlete (DI Track & Field)
Matt Smith, Former college athlete (DI Golf)
Matthew Jolles, Former college athlete (Field Hockey)
Matthew Roberts, Former college athlete (DII Swimming)
Max Frankel, Former college athlete (DIII Baseball)
Maya Ulin-O'Keefe, Former college athlete (DIII Soccer)
Megan Conaboy, Former college athlete (DI Field Hockey)
Megan Hept, Former college athlete (DI Field Hockey)
Meghan Pfeiffer, Former college athlete (DI Soccer)
Meghan Smith, Former college athlete (Hunter Seat Equitation)
Meghann Burke,Former college athlete (DI Soccer)
Melissa Mizell , Former college athlete (Recreational Volleyball)
Melissa Nathanson, Former college athlete (Field Hockey)
Mia Bennett, Current college athlete (DIII Track & Field)
Michael Devlin, Current professional athlete (Endurance Sports)
Michael Martin, Current college athlete (DIII Soccer)
Michelle Tran Former college athlete (DIII Women's Soccer)
Mik Ranslem Current college athlete (DI Swimming)
Molly Current Former college athlete (DI Women's Soccer)
Morgan Styer Former college athlete (Cycling)
Nancy Hogshead-Makar, Former college athlete (DI Swimming)
Natalie Beach Former college athlete (DIII Soccer)
Nathan Matthews, Current college athlete (DIII Volleyball)
Nina Morato, Current coach (Running)
Nora Cothren, Former college athlete (Ice Hockey)
PAT FEARNS, Former college athlete (Soccer & Rugby)
Patrick Derenze, Former college athlete (DII Cross Country)
Peter Perkowski, Former college athlete (DIII Track & Field, Cross Country)
Reina Miller, Current college athlete (DI Swimming)
Rob Molke, Current professional athlete (DI Track & Field, Cross Country)
Rory Kelly, Current college athlete (DIII Track & Field)
Ross Witte, Former college athlete (DIII Soccer)
Sarah Krabacher, Former college athlete (DIII Soccer)
Sean Smith, Former college athlete (DI Swimming)
Seth Pamperin, Former college athlete (DIII Men's Tennis)
Shane Diamond, Former college athlete (DIII Women's Ice Hockey)
Shawn DeVault, Former college athlete (DIII Wheelchair Basketball)
Shawn Ladda, Former college athlete (DI Soccer)
sj Miller, Former college athlete (DI Soccer)
Sophie Charlton, Former college athlete (DI Track & Field)
Susannah Janik, Former college athlete (DI Track & Field)
Taylor Edelmann, Former college athlete (DIII Volleyball)
Taylor Garcia, Current college athlete (DI Swimming, DIII Soccer)
Taylor Reifert, Current college athlete (DIII Men's Soccer)
Tim Baumgartner, Current coach (Soccer)
Tim Chamberlin, Former college athlete (DIII Cross-country, Track & Field)
Toby Sharp, Former college athlete (DIII Soccer)
Tyler McCubbin, Former college athlete (DIII Cross country, Track & Field)
