CIF Feebly Responds to Globe Inquiry about Trans-Boys in Girls Sports

Fifty-two (52) years after Title IX was created to enforce equal access to and quality of sports for girls and women, athletics for women are now being invaded by mentally disturbed boys and men who claim they are trans women. And the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF), the governing body for high school sports in California, is promulgating boys/men in female athletics, while dismissing concerns from the female athletes.

The Globe reported last week that the CIF isn’t just supporting trans persons in girls’ sports, they even have a Gender Diverse Youth Sport Inclusivity Toolkit, which “seeks to further these efforts towards the inclusion of transgender and nonbinary students in K-12 schools.”

The Globe revealed how and why boys and men are now allowed to intrude in women’s sports:

It started with the Obama administration announcing that transgender students at public schools should be allowed to use the bathroom or locker room that matches their gender identity. And they brazenly cited Title IX.  The guidance was rescinded by the Trump administration.

But never fear – In 2021, President Biden’s “U.S. Education Department expanded its interpretation of federal sex protections to include transgender and gay students, a move that reverses Trump-era policy and stands against proposals in many states to bar transgender girls from school sports,” PBS reported. “In a new policy directive, the department said discrimination based on a student’s sexual orientation or gender identity will be treated as a violation of Title IX…”

The Obama administration, then the Biden Administration, elevated trans persons above women and girls in once-federally protected women’s sports.

The Globe contacted Ron Nocetti, Executive Director of California Interscholastic Federation (CIF), and Rebecca Brutlag, Director of Media (Relations) to inquire about this strange phenomenon, and address the potential harm to girls:

Mr. Nocetti and Ms. Brutlag,

I am a credentialed State Capitol journalist and recently interviewed Sophia Lorey and spoke with other women who attended the recent CIF meeting where they testified their opposition to the CIF approval of boys who identify as girls competing in girls sports.

I spent time on your Gender Identity Participation Policy which specifically allows males to identify onto female teams. 

My question to you is what about the obvious physical strength issue – boys are significantly stronger than girls, particularly in middle school and high school, and injuries to the girls are occurring. 

What is your policy about knowingly allowing the infliction of injuries on girls – of putting the girls in harm’s way. 

The policy appears to be overly concerned with accommodating the “trans-women” (boys) rather than the health and safety of girls in athletics – something that was the priority of Title IX for decades.

Lastly, forcing girls to share locker rooms with “trans-women” (boys) is dangerous for the women. What policies are in place to prevent this, and what will you do if girls are raped or accosted by the trans women (boys)?

Here is the feeble response I received from Ms. Brutlag:

Katy-

In accordance with California law (Education Code section 221.5.(f), CIF Bylaw 300. D. states the following: Participation in interscholastic athletics is a valuable part of the educational experience for all students. All students should have the opportunity to participate in CIF activities in a manner that is consistent with their gender identity, irrespective of the gender listed on a student’s records.

The CIF provides students with the opportunity to belong, connect, and compete in education-based experiences.

Thanks,

Rebecca Brutlag

Director of Media

California Interscholastic Federation

She cut and pasted their policy as her answer, rather than addressing the very specific questions I asked about the health and safety of the girls/women.

And this is one of the biggest issues with California. Nameless, faceless, appointed bureaucrats who hide behind obscure policies issued as dictates, rather than respecting questions from the public and media.

Nobody voted for these people.

The CIF spends 20% of its budget on salaries and benefits for employees and retirees, and 17% on legal, liability and insurance costs.

I’m having difficulty tracking down current salaries, but found that Mr. Nocetti’s salary in 2018 was $170,952, up from $141,287 in 2015. We haven’t yet located Ms. Brutlag’s salary information.

Notably, the numbers of participating students is dropping, having taken a huge hit in 2021-22, likely because of Gov. Newsom’s school lockdowns But they have not recovered:

In our article last week, The Independent Council on Women’s Sports (ICONS) asked, “What message are we sending little girls when society tells them they must step aside and prioritize the wants of men at the expense of their own achievements?”