Demand an apology from Star Tribune

My name is Zeam, and I am a transgender/gender non-conforming student who had to quit sports because of the lack of support within schools. I am not only saddened because I had to cut out an important aspect out of my high school career, but also because I feel as though I cannot escape harassment — now even just reading the Star Tribune. It was painful to be on a team where I was expected to be someone I’m not. From the gendered uniforms to the phrase used to rally the team, I felt like a soulless body replaced me every game I played in. That’s why I was so hurt when the Star Tribune on Sunday ran a full-page ad full of blatant discrimination, problematic language and harmful intention about transgender students. The ad tried to smear a proposal for the Minnesota State High School League that would ensure that transgender students can participate in sports and be athletes like everyone else. The ad perpetuates negative roles of female-bodied individuals as well as erases trans* identities and promotes discrimination. The group who paid for the ad has also personally attacked me as well as other students in fliers, printing our legal names next to our identities in red, and negatively describing our work for safer schools. The Star Tribune should not be affiliated with such harassment and a group promoting discrimination. The Star Tribune needs to discontinue the ad, issue an apology, and work on a story covering this topic from the perspective of trans* student athletes.