The president of a Wyoming women’s tennis association resigned this week when the group allowed a man claiming to be a woman to enter a tournament and play in the women’s category.
Jackie Fulkrod was unhappy that the group allowed the trans player to enter the tournament and said a “man playing against a woman is very unfair,” according to the New York Post.
Fulkrod vacated her role as president of the Cheyenne Tennis Association board after her criticism of player Brooklyn Ross’s involvement in the Wyoming Governor’s Cup.
“I feel like having a transgender athlete compete in the women’s draw is against my personal integrity and what I believe and value,” Fulkrod told Cowboy State Daily.
Jackie Fulkrod, former president of the Cheyenne Tennis Association board. (Facebook)
“I think a man playing against a woman is a very unfair matchup when it’s specifically meant for women in that specific draw,” she continued.
Fulkrod had been president of the association for two years before her resignation.
“My decision to resign was solely based on the fact that we didn’t have any way to protect our organization or protect our female athletes that are going to be playing in the tournament,” Fulkrod added.
Fulkrod also said that other members of the board had problems with the transgender player joining the Cup tournament.
Ross, who claims to have transitioned six years ago, has already played while identifying as a woman for several years as a member of the University of Texas at Tyler women’s team. He insists that his playing is “good for kids.”
“They probably haven’t had the experience of any trans woman being able to play, and I’m glad to be able to be able to kind of stand up for some of those people without a voice,” Ross told Cowboy State Daily. “Kids that have to choose between their authenticity and playing a game.”
Peg Connor, the director of the tournament and the executive director of the Wyoming Tennis Association, refused to say who may have approved Ross’ participation at the Cup tournament. Fulkrod said her junior board members likely feared a lawsuit, so they let Ross in.
“I can understand the tournament director’s position because of lawsuits and that kind of thing, but as a personal belief, I thought this is wrong, this is not something we want to set as a precedent in Cheyenne because what’s the next thing?” Fulkrod asked.
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