A North Carolina volleyball player who suffered significant injuries when a trans woman hit the ball with nails in the face is urging the legislature to pass a bill that would ban native males from participating in female sports competitions.
Payton McNabb of Cherokee County, North Carolina, told a hearing Tuesday that lawmakers should prevent others like her from getting hurt.
The bill, HB 574 – the Fairness in Women’s Sports Act, passed the House on Wednesday and passed the Senate at first reading on Thursday. It has now been referred to a Senate committee for further investigation.
Joined by swimmer and activist Riley Gaines, McNabb told the hearing, “It’s dangerous to allow biological males to compete with biological females.
“I may be the first to come before you with an injury, but if this doesn’t pass, I won’t be the last.”
Payton McNabb is pictured Tuesday speaking at the North Carolina Legislative Building
McNabb is seen, left, lying on the floor, knocked unconscious
Gaines tweeted footage of McNabb’s injury, which occurred on November 1, 2022, during a Hiwassee High School v. Highlands High School volleyball game.
A transgender rival from Highlands High School touched the ball, knocking McNabb unconscious.
“I was seriously injured in a high school volleyball game by a transgender athlete on the opposing team,” McNabb said Tuesday.
“I suffered a concussion and neck injury from which I am still recovering to this day.
“Other injuries that still haunt me today include impaired vision, partial paralysis on my right side, constant headaches, as well as anxiety and depression.
“I was unable to play the rest of my last volleyball season and although I am currently playing softball, I know that due to my injury I am not performing as well as in the past.”
She said her academic performance has been hurt and she now needs “accommodations in school for testing.”
She said she was unable to “learn, hold, understand” as before.
“I could go on and on about how this has affected my life,” McNabb said.
‘But that’s not what I’m here for. I’m not here for me.
‘Cause for me, I know my playing time is coming to an end.
“I’m here for every biological female athlete who has my back.”
McNabb said he was referring to a law in North Carolina that prohibits discrimination, saying everyone should be able to compete fairly on a level playing field.
“My ability to compete has taken away from me,” said McNabb.
“Competing with biological males is not a level playing field.”
The bill, which is likely to pass, would prevent biological female athletes from being forced to compete against biological male transgender athletes in school sports designed for women.
It wouldn’t stop transgender athletes from competing on teams that are co-ed or designated at birth because of their biological sex.
McNabb (left) is seen with swimmer Riley Gaines (right) and Rep. Jennifer Balkcom (center), a Republican from Henderson County and one of the main sponsors of HB 574
So far this year, 20 states have passed legislation protecting the rights of female athletes against what supporters say is an unfair competitive advantage enjoyed by biologically male transgender athletes.
Opponents of the bill from activist group Equality NC addressed Tuesday’s hearing, urging politicians to reject the bill because it would bar transgender athletes from participating.
They warned protests from activists similar to the state’s HB 2 “bathroom bill” could follow.
North Carolina was at the forefront of the transgender bathroom battle in March 2016.
A huge nationwide backlash ensued, with Adidas, PayPal, Deutsche Bank and other companies reconsidering their planned North Carolina expansion, and TV and movie studios changing their minds about shooting in the state.
Musicians Nick Jonas, Bruce Springsteen and Demi Lovato announced boycotts, while other artists, including Selena Gomez, Mumford and Sons, donated a portion of local ticket sales to LGBTQ organizations.
The sports world also reacted: The NBA moved the 2017 All-Star Game from Charlotte to New Orleans, and the NCAA moved the March Madness basketball championships out of state.
A 2017 analysis by The Associated Press predicted that North Carolina would lose more than $3.76 billion and nearly 3,000 jobs over the next 12 years as a direct result of HB 2.