by Scott Dreyer
The women’s swim team at Roanoke College made national headlines October 5, 2023 when as a group they stood together to insist they only compete against other biological women. They told their stories in a press conference at the Hotel Roanoke. Their accounts are summarized in Parts One, Two, Three, and Four.
Instead of lauding them for their stance, however, three male Democrats on Roanoke City Council blasted the women. Showing they had not even heard the women yet, the three co-signed a letter, also dated October 5, but actually released before the women had spoken. Moreover, none of the three attended the press conference. Showing their displeasure, their letter was entitled “Hate Has No Place in Roanoke, Virginia,” implying that all the women swimmers plus their families and allies are haters. One of the three, Joe Cobb, is currently vice mayor of Roanoke and is running to be mayor.
This saga may seem to be a modern-day rendition of Jesus’ words, “a prophet is without honor in his hometown.” In contrast to the animosity and hostility from Cobb and some other Roanoke City politicians, the lady swimmers are gaining a following that reaches across the continent.
As evidence of this, the Roanoke College lady swimmers were recently lauded in Reno, Nevada, 2,166 miles away from the Star City.
In her opening remarks at a rally in Reno on October 26, Riley Gaines, 12x All American Swim Champion, credited the Roanoke College swimmers as role models for their courage while she defended the University of Nevada-Reno (UNR) women’s volleyball team.
This is the second time now that I have been able to stand in unity really with full team, like we’re going to see today. We saw this at Roanoke College with their swim team there, so shout out to those girls for being so brave [applause]. But understand what you’re going to see today is rare, the type of unity being able to link arms in the way that they have. And understandably so. You’ll hear the tactics that their university has used, the institution has used to keep them quiet, to keep them fearful, to stifle their voices, but nonetheless they stand in unity, which I believe deserves to be applauded [applause].
UNR women’s volleyball team makes national headlines
The UNR women’s volleyball team was scheduled to play against California’s San Jose State University (SJSU) on October 26. However, the UNR ladies took a vote among their players and chose to forfeit the match against SJSU because of a biological male, Blaire Fleming, who would be on the women’s team.
Notably, the Nevada athletic department on October 3 insisted their team would play the match. However, the administration had not checked with the players before making that claim.
The players then released this statement, which they made to Outkick:
We, the University of Nevada Reno women’s volleyball team, forfeit against San Jose State University and stand united in solidarity with the volleyball teams of Southern Utah University, Boise State University, the University of Wyoming, and Utah State University. We demand that our right to safety and fair competition on the court be upheld. We refuse to participate in any match that advances injustice against female athletes.
–Scott Dreyer
Sources: Riley Gaines speaks at ICONS press conference, Reno, Nevada, Oct. 26.
Nevada Players Vote to Forfeit Against SJSU
Roanoke resident Scott Dreyer leads a team of educators teaching English and ESL to a global audience. This article is republished with permission from The Roanoke Star.
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