Upcoming Trans Athletes Forum Wants Your Voice
Jesse Welty | March 24, 2026
This spring, the “Gender, Sex and Sexuality” class of Warren Wilson College’s (WWC) history department has spent a great deal of time dissecting how gender, sex and sexuality have shown up throughout history and across cultural and geographical lines. In this class, students look at the crossover of indigenous and colonial histories and examine how and why concepts of gender have become so deeply politicized and embedded in daily life.
In this reading-heavy course, students do not simply sit through lectures but are instead encouraged to take in a diverse collection of viewpoints to then develop their own thoughts and opinions. From first-hand accounts such as Bernardino de Sahagún’s “Florentine Codex” (circa 1540-1579), to more modern-day perspectives such as Kim Tallbear’s 2018 essay, “Making Love and Relations Beyond Settler Sex and Family,” students are urged to create a welcoming space in class for both discussion and introspection.
As the course moves into more contemporary themes in the second half of the semester, one of the biggest conflicts in the U.S. to be looked at in class is the presence of transgender people in different spaces. Whether it be public bathrooms, state prisons or sports teams, the right for transgender people to be legally and socially recognized within daily life is constantly being debated and contested.
This is especially relevant with the recent major Supreme Court cases, Little v. Hecox and West Virginia v. B.P.J.. The plaintiffs, Hecox and B.P.J, both argue against the barring of transgender women in their respective school’s sport’s teams, claiming that the sex-based restrictions violate their constitutional rights and Title IX protections. The results of these cases will undoubtedly impact the future of athletics, especially within educational institutions.
At Warren Wilson, one may easily assume that this discussion would have already been explored extensively due to its significantly queer student body. However, several students have noticed a separation between athletes and the rest of the campus community, which has caused many to feel a lack of open communication outside of the classroom. This has directly impacted the ability for student athletes to take part in wider campus discussions.
KJ Helsinky, a former WWC athlete and recent December graduate, built her senior capstone project on this divide. Helsinky’s capstone, titled “Bridging the Divide and Developing Community with Student Athletes,” collected anonymous personal statements from athletes and non-athletes alike regarding how the student body has felt about the disconnect.
Out of 14 responses to Helsinky’s student survey, 100% of participants said they felt a noticeable separation within the campus community.
When asked about the relationship between the two groups, one WWC athlete that took part in Helsinky's survey stated, “I think non-athletes don’t really want to be bothered or try to become friends with athletes because they have a certain idea or perspective on how they are.”
This sentiment is corroborated by another submission from a non-athlete: “I would say that they tend not to interact with each other. You can see it especially at meals or in classes that athletes and non-athletes break off into their own groups.”
Another participating athlete shared that for campus to show unity, people in the community must show kindness. They also must respect each other, and be open to understanding and helping one another regardless of any differences.
In an attempt to create this unified space, the “Gender, Sex and Sexuality” class will be hosting a forum sponsored by The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) in late March that will be open to all students to discuss the topic of transgender athletes. The forum is intended to serve as a communal space where respect and reason are to be at the forefront of the conversation, and where all voices may have an opportunity to be heard.
According to the event’s hosts, the goal is not to debate but instead to offer an opportunity to share experiences and historical education surrounding the marginalization of transgender people in sports and the impacts of major legislative decisions pertaining to them. The students will be facilitating small group discussions where they will cover some of the major questions and concerns regarding the presence of transgender athletes, and will be prompting and preserving a respectful dialogue.
Some of the topics to be covered at the forum include concerns regarding fairness and biological determinants, as well as the significance of policing athletes' bodies.
Not only this, to further promote community relationships, the forum will commence with an open buffet where attendees can meet and converse with their peers and larger community over a catered dinner.
The event will take place during International Transgender Day of Visibility on March 31, in Canon Lounge, with sign-ins and dinner beginning at 6:45 p.m.. It will then close out around 8:30 p.m. with guest speaker Robin Davis, head of the WWC women’s basketball team, as well as an activity surrounding Trans Day of Visibility.
Any questions or concerns regarding the event may be directed towards Jay Char at jchar.f25@warren-wilson.edu.