Former NBA star Matt Barnes announced his opposition to biological men competing in the WNBA — the highest professional basketball league for women — during an interview with VladTV.
After being asked how he feels about “trans players”, Barnes responded by saying, “I don’t like that. I think if, and this is a deep rip, to each his own. You wanna be whatever you wanna be. I mean, if you’re born a certain, you should play it. Whatever you’re born, to me, you should play in that space. You see that the swimmer and all this kind of stuff. I’m pro. Make your choice. Do you do this. But you know sports is different. Sports is a different beast.”
Barnes is referencing trans swimmer Lia Thomas, the Former University of Pennsylvania swimmer who dominated the competition earlier this year — raising serious questions about the fairness of letting trans athletes compete against biological women. This isn't a matter of hatred or bigotry — it's a matter of fairness. Women's sports should be for biological women — full stop.
Barnes then decided to reference the trans fighter Fallon Fox:
“I think you’ve seen a trans fighter, too, right? To me, I don’t like that. If you’re born a woman, you should play woman’s sports, and if you’re born a man, you should play man’s sports. But if you want to do whatever you want to do with your life, its not my business…”
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Barnes proceeded to respond to a hypothetical question – how would Kevin Durant fare in the WNBA, if he chose to identify as a woman?
“It would change the whole dynamic of the game… To each his own, I respect whatever personal decision you want to make, but when it comes to sports, I mean crossing that line, it's a line that shouldn't be crossed.”
Barnes opposition to biological men competing in women's sports is very prudent and considerate. No one can accuse him of being a bigot. We look forward to more athletes and cultural figures speaking about against this great injustice.
