Dawn Staley weighs in on transgender women playing women’s sports

Apr 6, 2024; Cleveland, OH, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks coach Dawn Staley speaks to media during a press conference at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

South Carolina women’s basketball head coach Dawn Staley made a firm stand on one issue a day before her team’s national championship matchup against Iowa.

During her press conference Saturday, Staley was asked to weigh in on the topic of transgender women competing in women’s sports. After giving the question some thought, the veteran coach put her support behind the trans community.

“If you’re a woman, you should play,” responded Staley to Outkick’s Dan Zaksheske. “If you consider yourself a woman and you want to play sports or vice versa, you should be able to play.”

I asked South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley if she supports transgender women (biological males) playing women's college basketball.

"If you consider yourself a woman and you want to play sports or vice versa, you should be able to play." pic.twitter.com/SEQCsNiFvm

— Dan Zaksheske (@RealDanZak) April 6, 2024

Some people responded to Zaksheske via X and said they felt that was an inappropriate setting to ask the question to Staley. The South Carolina coach added that she fully expects her response to draw backlash online and serve as a distraction ahead of the title game.

Zaksheske also asked Iowa head coach Lisa Bluder the same question. Bluder called the issue “important” but declined to answer, stating that her focus is on Sunday’s game.

Iowa coach Lisa Bluder declined to answer whether or not transgender women, biological men, should be allowed to play in women’s sports.

“My focus is on tomorrow’s game.” She added that it’s an “important issue” but an important issue for “another time.” pic.twitter.com/fSySUZK9XA

— Dan Zaksheske (@RealDanZak) April 6, 2024

Staley’s South Carolina Gamecocks face off Sunday against Bluder’s Iowa Hawkeyes with the title on the line.