A Baltimore-based women’s rugby team is pushing back against President Trump’s recent executive order on women’s sports, maintaining their commitment to LGBTQ+ inclusivity in athletics.
The Baltimore Flamingos, who continue their team workouts during the off-season, have made it their mission to combat homophobia in sports while actively recruiting LGBTQ+ players.
“Rugby is really a sport for everyone, no matter your body type, no matter who you are, there’s a place for you on the team, and that’s what I really liked about it,” explains one team member.
The executive order, which prohibits transgender women from participating in women’s sports, has drawn criticism from the team’s members. “It’s a slap in the face to everybody who actually does the work to improve women’s sports,” states a Flamingos player.
Team representatives point to widespread support for transgender athletes within their sport. “You look inside of the rugby community, there are honestly many communities of women athletes, and all of them tend to be very supportive of trans women playing the sport.”
Another team member expressed concern about the order’s scope: “I was kind of devastated that this executive order was just so overreaching, you know, especially the fact that President Trump is bullying the IOC and pretty much saying any organization out there needs to ban trans women from sports.”
The team maintains their opposition to the executive order, with one member stating, “It’s really disappointing because it’s not really based on anything in reality, this is just a way to scapegoat a disenfranchised group of people, and it really hurts everyone in the end.”
The Flamingos continue to advocate for inclusive policies in women’s sports while maintaining their regular training schedule.
CNN’s data analysis, led by senior political analyst Harry Enten, reveals a growing consensus against transgender female athletes competing in women’s sports. A striking 79% of Americans oppose their participation, a sharp rise from 62% in 2021. This opposition spans political lines, with 67% of Democrats, 64% of independents, and 94% of Republicans in agreement. Enten emphasized the rarity of such broad consensus. Meanwhile, President Trump’s executive order strengthens Title IX enforcement, potentially penalizing schools that allow transgender athletes. With over half of voters believing transgender rights have gone too far, the issue remains a major point of contention.
