A Minnesota women’s hockey player has raised serious concerns about transgender participation policies in female leagues, highlighting safety issues and fairness in the sport.
Kelly Gring, who has played hockey since age eight and competed at the University of St. Thomas, recently penned a strongly-worded letter to the Women’s Hockey Association of Minnesota (WHAM) after encountering multiple transgender players in league games.
“I am not a transphobe, to each his or her own, but pretending it’s okay for men to play in a women’s league insults women’s sports and creates serious safety issues,” Gring wrote in her letter to WHAM officials.
The situation came to light this season when Gring’s team noticed unusually tall players during a game. After investigating, they discovered they were competing against transgender players, which Gring describes as “confusing” and “disheartening.”
A recent incident involving a collision between one of Gring’s teammates and a transgender player has amplified these concerns. According to Gring, after the collision, her teammate said, “I don’t know if I can come back next year.”
WHAM responded to Gring’s letter within 12 hours, stating they follow USA Hockey rules and regulations, offering no immediate solution to the concerns raised.
“This isn’t okay,” says Gring. “We make a joke that everyone ends up in WHAM after their glory days of college hockey, high school hockey… but if they know what’s going on, are they going to come skate or is this going to end their hockey career?”
Gring has launched a petition on Change.org titled “Advocate to protect biological females in Minnesota women’s ice hockey leagues” to address these concerns. She emphasizes that while hockey is an elective activity, it remains “sacred time” for players, many of whom are mothers balancing family responsibilities with their passion for the sport.
The issue has gained attention as other regions address similar concerns. England has recently implemented a transgender ban in women’s hockey, while policies continue to vary across different jurisdictions in the United States.
WHAM has not responded to requests for comment from Alpha News regarding this matter.
