Brooke Slusser, a former co-captain of the San Jose State University (SJSU) volleyball team, has opened up about the difficulties she faced after voicing her opposition to a transgender teammate’s participation.
Her stance led to severe backlash, including harassment and threats, ultimately forcing her to finish her final semester of college from her home in Texas.
Harassment and Safety Concerns Push Slusser to Complete Studies from Home
Slusser, who was outspoken in supporting rival teams’ decisions to forfeit games against SJSU due to the participation of transgender teammate Blaire Fleming, filed a lawsuit against the university in November.
She, along with 10 other players and former associate head coach Melissa Batie-Smoose, alleged that SJSU and Mountain West Conference officials violated their Title IX rights.
The fallout from Slusser’s decision to challenge the inclusion of a transgender athlete was immediate and intense.
She described being subjected to both on-campus harassment and online threats.
“I didn’t feel safe,” she said, recounting a particularly disturbing encounter where someone screamed obscenities at her.
Slusser also shared that other students had made threatening remarks about confronting her, which further contributed to her decision to leave California and finish her degree remotely.
A Lawsuit Against SJSU and Mountain West Conference
Slusser’s lawsuit isn’t her first legal action on the matter.
In September, she joined Riley Gaines’ lawsuit against the NCAA over issues of transgender athletes’ participation in women’s sports.
She later filed a separate suit against SJSU’s head coach, the college, and the Mountain West Conference, seeking to have Fleming declared ineligible for the conference tournament.
The lawsuit claimed that Slusser and others were unfairly silenced, and that their right to free speech was being infringed upon by the university’s administration.
The controversy first began when it was revealed that Fleming, a transgender woman, had been playing on the team without the full disclosure of her birth sex.
Slusser and some teammates were reportedly shocked to learn about Fleming’s gender identity only through rumors, which further fueled their frustration and concerns.
The Physical Risk and Unequal Advantage Debate
In addition to her legal battles, Slusser has raised concerns about the physical risks that transgender athletes might pose in women’s sports.
She pointed out that Fleming’s spike, reportedly traveling at 80 miles per hour, could potentially injure other players, which raised the stakes of the debate.
Some teammates also expressed unease about competing against someone with such physical advantages.
Slusser’s actions were seen by some as an attempt to safeguard the integrity of women’s sports, but she was met with opposition from SJSU’s head coach Todd Kress, who dismissed her concerns and was reportedly angered by her efforts to address the issue.
NCAA Policy Changes and Political Impact
The controversy surrounding Slusser and Fleming’s participation came amid a broader debate over transgender rights in sports.
Under the NCAA’s policy at the time, transgender women were allowed to compete in women’s sports if their testosterone levels met certain criteria.
However, a significant shift occurred earlier this month when President Donald Trump signed an executive order banning transgender women from participating in women’s sports, leading the NCAA to update its own policies.
Slusser’s case highlights the ongoing challenges of balancing fairness, inclusivity, and safety in sports, a debate that is likely to continue evolving as both public opinion and policies shift.