US News

Bearded trans athlete who injured rival was suspended from rowing team for ogling topless girl in changing room: report

A bearded transgender basketball player attending a Massachusetts private school who was seen in a viral video knocking down a rival during a game was allegedly suspended from a female rowing team for staring at a topless girl in a changing room, according to a report.

The same 6-foot-tall student-athlete enrolled at KIPP Academy in Lynn, Massachusetts, participated in six different female sports, including rowing, volleyball, and tae kwon do, reported the Australian magazine Quillette.

The student went viral after being filmed knocking down a female basketball player
The student went viral after being filmed knocking down a female basketball player. Riley Gines/ X

The student, who is believed to be 17 or 18 years old, joined a female rowing team at a private club in Massachusetts in 2021, after allegedly doing poorly on the male team.

A multi-discipline transgender female athlete, pictured above at a tae kwon do match, was allegedly suspended from a female rowing team for ogling a topless girl.
A multi-discipline transgender female athlete, pictured above at a tae kwon do match, was allegedly suspended from a female rowing team for ogling a topless girl. Tiger Institute Tae Kwon Do / Facebook

The transgender athlete’s participation allegedly caused issues for her fellow rowers, according to a copy of a letter sent to USRowing, the sport’s national governing body, signed by 15 concerned parents.  

One of the parents told the magazine that the athlete in question did not bother to shave her stubble, and even continued wearing the male team’s uniform.

The final straw was an incident in 2022, when the transgender rower allegedly walked into the girls’ changing room, observed a teammate who was topless, and said, “Ooh, t–ties,” in reference to her breasts.

When another rower in the locker room asked if it was the first time her transgender teammate had seen female breasts, she reportedly replied, “Uhh yeah” with a laugh.

The KIPP Academy student was subsequently reported to the US Center for SafeSport, resulting in her suspension from the team.