The Community Education Council District 2, the largest neighborhood school board district in Manhattan, recently convened to vote on examining the district’s policy regarding transgender-identifying athletes.

Currently, the policy permits trans-identifying boys to compete in girls’ sports. But after a school board meeting vote on Wednesday, the district will be re-examining this policy. 

The recent school board meeting sparked intense debate among council members and parents who are passionate about the issue. Among those present at the meeting was Elliot Page, a trans-identifying actress who became well-known for her transition in 2020.

The resolution passed regarding trans-identifying athletes is largely a symbolic gesture, but it opens the door for more discussions about protecting women’s sports. More specifically, it allows the voices of more parents and medical experts to be heard. 

However, the proposal faced criticism from left-wing activists like New York City Councilmember Erik Bottcher, who denounced the proposal as regressive and harmful.

“We are outraged that you’re considering a resolution targeting transgender girls and sports. It is utterly shocking that such a regressive and harmful resolution is being proposed in the school district in the middle of Manhattan,” said Bottcher.

In contrast, school board member Maud Maron, an “unapologetic old-school liberal” and one of the resolution’s sponsors, defended the proposal. Maron, who previously advocated for a ban on transgender identifying men in girls’ sports during her congressional campaign, emphasized the importance of fostering a genuine dialogue on the issue.

“If we have a proper and real conversation, one of the outcomes could be that nothing changes and that we all discover that these guidelines are just perfect as they are,” Maron said.

“But another one of the possibilities is that we realize that the excluded voices had something really important to offer and they should have been heard from in the beginning,” she continued.

The debate regarding transgender-identifying men competing in women’s sports, particularly at the high school and collegiate level, has escalated over the last few years as prominent voices continue to speak out about the issue.

This piece first appeared at TPUSA.