Female Paralympic athletes deserve better than to compete against a biological man

For years, runner Valentina Petrillo competed as a man. In 2019, Petrillo started transitioning and began hormone replacement therapy. Now the biological man is at the Paralympic Games competing against other visually impaired athletes, all biological women.

Petrillo failed to secure a spot in the 400-meter final but will run in the 200-meter race taking place on Friday. Some might say Petrillo’s failure in the first event shows it doesn’t matter if transgender athletes compete. But it does matter. Whether or not Petrillo medals isn’t the point. The fact that this biological male races against women is the height of sexism.