The question of whether to allow transgender athletes to compete had always seemed to me an extremely controversial, yet relatively distant, political issue. However, when I tied for second place in the girls’ pole vault at Maine’s Class B State Championship, and the winner was assigned male at birth, this issue was no longer distant. Suddenly, I was watching a national story unfold, and I was forced to confront the controversy surrounding Title IX head-on.

My name is Kessa Benner, and I started pole vaulting during my sophomore year of high school at Freeport. After finding joy and skill in this event, my heart became set on the goal of winning states. I trained for a total of three years, finding a community among teammates, and ultimately working toward my athletic goal. However, when my senior track season came around, when I thought my chance had come, this dream was shattered.

When I first learned I was competing against someone who was assigned male at birth, my heart sank. It was a mix of devastation and anger as I watched my new competitor sprint down the runway with speed I did not have; jump with a force I could never gain; and push the pole with muscles that, no matter how much I worked out, I would never build.

Last year, this competitor could vault up to 12 feet. Now, they were winning girls’ meets with a height of 10 feet, 6 inches. After competing in meets and sharing practice sessions, I watched as this athlete routinely surpassed our best, even during warm-up drills. We were giving 100% of our effort, and yet we still couldn’t come close.

My indoor track season had swiftly changed. A sport I had loved and had put my heart into became a sport that was painful and a constant reminder of the physical abilities that I do not have, nor do any females hold. It wasn’t just me who felt the weight of this unfairness; it was my teammates, my fellow female athletes, who were choked with anger. They too wondered: How were we expected to compete with someone who would always physically dominate?

The day that Maine’s Class B Championship was held was a day that most female athletes competing will remember. We will remember that we lost our right to fairly compete for first place. We will remember how we were met with silence. There was no protest; instead, it seemed as if people sat back, arms crossed, and allowed this to happen. And it wasn’t just the pole vaulters who were impacted; Freeport Girls lost the state title by a single point.

And the worst part was, when people decided to speak up, some went about it the completely wrong way. Instead of advocating for protecting women’s sports peacefully, an already vulnerable minor was targeted and also caught in a political crossfire. My heart goes out to my competitor in this difficult time of mixed contention. I believe all transgender youth deserve effective support and acceptance.

However, supporting transgender athletes through social integration should not mean allowing them to compete against women in athletic competition. You cannot deny the physical advantages that transgender athletes hold. Michael J. Joyner, a medical doctor, has explained that transgender women who went through male puberty retain significant physical advantages, including muscle mass, lung capacity, height, hand and foot size. Joyner has said that even with hormone therapy, these advantages do not simply disappear.

It’s not a matter of opinion; it’s scientifically proven that males hold a competitive edge over females. I acknowledge the importance of inclusion and athletic division, so why not propose solutions like open divisions? Why not work to create a new space for all athletes, instead of sacrificing years of hard work from other deserving women.

I have been told by many people to stay quiet. I’ve been told by many that I would risk my future, jeopardize my chances at college, and that I would face permanent repercussions if I were to merely comment on my beliefs. However, I came to realize that sharing the truth and my story isn’t hateful. By advocating on behalf of myself and other female athletes who have experienced this, I hope there’s a small chance that someone will listen and put a stop to the unfairness — that they will protect women’s sports, like they should have done in the first place.