South Carolina women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley said biological males should be allowed to participate in the collegiate sport.

“I asked South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley if she supports transgender women (biological males) playing women’s college basketball,” Outkick writer Dan Zaksheske wrote.

“One of the major issues facing women’s sports right now is the debate/discussion/topic about the inclusion of transgender athletes, biological males, in women’s sports. I was wondering if you would tell me your position on that issue,” Zaksheske questioned.

“I’m on the opinion of if you’re a woman, you should play,” Staley said.

“If you consider yourself a woman and you want to play sports or vice versa, you should be able to play,” she added.

“Do you think transgender women should be able to participate in college basketball?” Zaksheske asked.

“Yes,” she answered.

“So now the barnstormer people are going to flood my timeline and be a distraction to me on one of the biggest days of our game. And I’m okay with that. I really am,” she continued.

WATCH:

“Absolute lunacy. I will stop at nothing to protect the achievements of our women and girls. Their successes will NOT be taken away by men. Biological men DO NOT belong in the locker room or on the court with our women and girls,” Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) said.

“As an SEC girl through and through, I vehemently say ‘Go Hawks,'” Riley Gaines commented, referencing the women’s college basketball national championship game between South Carolina and Iowa.

“23 million video views for this question just on Twitter/X. I bet this is the most watched question and answer in any sports press conference this year. Well done @RealDanZak & @outkick, ask real questions, get real answers. That’s the job of honest media,” Clay Travis said.

Outkick reports:

OutKick’s Riley Gaines, a champion for fairness in women’s sports, shared her thoughts on Staley’s comments.

“Dawn Staley knows perfectly well that men’s basketball is a totally different sport than women’s basketball,” Gaines said. “That’s obvious by the speed of the game, the size of the ball … the sheer amount of layups compared to dunks when a player gets a fast break.

“I wonder if Dawn Staley also supports 18u playing with 12u, or heavyweights fighting the featherweights, or Olympians competing in the Paralympics.

“It always sucks seeing a well-established woman who has broken barriers for women in sports turn into a sellout in the name of ‘inclusion.’ The women’s category was created to be intentionally exclusive by design. Go Hawks.”

Iowa coach Lisa Bluder faced the media a few hours later and was asked the same question, but didn’t really provide an answer.

“Iowa coach Lisa Bluder declined to answer whether or not transgender women, biological men, should be allowed to play in women’s sports,” Dan Zaksheske commented.

“My focus is on tomorrow’s game,” Bluder said.

“She added that it’s an ‘important issue’ but an important issue for ‘another time,'” Zaksheske commented.

South Carolina plays Iowa for the women’s college basketball title Sunday at 3:00 p.m. ET.

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