A high school in the United States has caused controversy after allowing a transgender pupil to compete in a women’s track competition. The competitor blew the field apart in style over 400m, though her victory has caused a fresh wave of uproar. McDaniel High School student Ada Gallagher – who previously identified as Aayden – retained her girl’s 200m and 400m titles in style at the Portland Interscholastic League meet, though both victories have sparked controversy online.
She won both events in 2024 as well, which similarly caused widespread upset. On Wednesday, Gallagher set a new record over 200m, finishing in 25.76 seconds and more than 1.5 seconds clear of second. The teen then impressed again when stepping up to 400m.
Gallagher cruised clear of the chasing pack to set a season record of 57.62 seconds. The 16-year-old finished nearly 10 seconds in front of second-placed Kinnaly Souphanthong in a dominant display by the athlete.
Clips of Gallagher’s victories soon made their way onto social media, though not all viewers were keen to congratulate the student on her successes. Instead, some raised questions about why the transgender teenager was allowed to compete in the women’s events.
Former swimmer Riley Gaines wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter: “Another day, another boy dominating in girl’s sports. Aayden “Ada” Gallagher set a season record and beat the fastest girl by over 7 seconds… does he have no shame? Do his PARENTS have no shame?”
Several other users also reacted, with one post stating: “At this point, the girls need to take a stand. If the schools administration and the government won’t do their jobs protecting women. From this point on, women take a stand on opening day and refuse.” Another added: “Are the parents of the girls afraid to speak out, or do they accept a male competing against their daughters and winning?”
Gallagher has enjoyed a successful spell on the track alongside her studies, and her recruitment profile certainly suggests that she is aware of the noise her victories are creating. She wrote: “Hello, my name is Ada Gallagher I love track. I’m able to continue running when thousands of people wish for me to stop and doubt my integrity. And although I enjoy winning I love getting to participate in the sport as a whole.”
The Oregon School Activities Association, which governs the Portland Interscholastic League, has a policy which allows transgender individuals to complete. Their policy reads that they will allow ‘students to participate for the athletic or activity program of their consistently asserted gender identity while providing a fair and safe environment for all students.’
