The Patriot Post® · Kay-Kay Is Now Kye
George Washington University in the largest institution of higher learning in Washington, D.C. with more than 20,000 students coming from all 50 states, the District, and more than 130 countries. But the Colonials, where football began in 1890 and basketball in 1906, today have quite a problem, far different than the political swirl currently going on at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
It has just been found out that Kay-Kay Allums, who started in 20 women’s basketball games last year and averaged 7.4 points per game, is now going by the name of Kye. That’s because Allums has decided to become a man instead of a woman and, as far as anybody can tell, will become the first transgender athlete to compete in NCAA Division I sports this week when the season begins in Minneapolis.
As you ask yourself how – technically – a man can play on a women’s team, you need to understand that for years “closeted” gay men and lesbian women have participated on all sorts of sports teams and that Kye, who now requests masculine adjectives, has agreed not to take any hormone treatments or have any body-altering surgery done until his college career has ended.
Robert Chernak, the senior vice provost and senior vice president for student affairs and support services at GWU, said, “The university consulted the NCAA regarding his competitive status. Kye will continue to be a member of the women’s basketball team.”
How the school will work out dressing facilities, not to mention a lot of other things, hasn’t been totally decided but Kye, a 20-year-old African-American, told the Washington Post the support he has received has been tremendous.
“This means a lot. I didn’t chose to be born in this body and feel the way I do. I decided to transition, that is change my name and pronouns, because it bothered me to hide who I am, and I’m trying to help myself and others be who they are.
"I told my teammates first, and they, including my coaches, have supported me,” Kye said. “My teammates have embraced me as the ‘big brother’ of the team. They have been my family, and I love them all.”
At first Kye’s teammates thought it was a joke. But according to Kye’s best friend on the team, Brooke Wilson, that soon changed. “We were all just talking, a bunch of teammates, and he said that he’s a guy. At first I didn’t understand, and then he explained that sex is how you’re born and gender is how you identify yourself. Then I started to understand.”
It was also something of a trial for Coach Mike Bozeman. The coach had quite a candid talk with the player in June about the transition and when Bozeman asked Kye if he thought God had made a mistake, the junior from upstate Minnesota didn’t have a ready answer.
A little later, Allums said, “God didn’t make a mistake.” In an interview on a web site called OutSports.com, Kye explained, “I was meant to be like this for a reason. Clearly my life is going to be different from anyone who was born a biological male, because of what I’ve been through. And I was meant to go through all of this.”
Coach Bozeman issued a short statement soon thereafter, “The George Washington University women’s basketball program, including myself, support Kye’s right to make this decision.” GWU spokesperson Candace Smith added, “The university will work with Kye and Kye’s teammates on (any) issues.
"Discriminatory laws in Washington, as well as other parts of the country, ensure individuals the right to use gender-specific restrooms and other gender-specific facilities such as dressing rooms … that are consistent with their gender identity or expression.”
Personally, I’m not getting in the judging business but, as one who prides himself on being able to write about anything, it is a story I believe that needs to be included in today’s landscape because this week something of an NCAA milestone will be set.