WASHINGTON — Broadcaster Sage Steele addressed a rally outside the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday as the nation’s highest court heard more than three hours of arguments in two cases challenging state bans on transgender students competing on school sports teams consistent with their gender identity.
The cases before the court are Little v. Hecox, involving Idaho’s law, and West Virginia v. B.P.J., involving West Virginia’s law.
In her remarks, Steele called it “an historic day” on the steps of the Supreme Court and praised women and girls she said have “chosen to stand up, speak up and defend” women’s sports and spaces.
Steele also recounted moments she said shaped her views on the issue, including the NBA’s decision to move the 2017 All-Star Game from Charlotte amid controversy over North Carolina’s “bathroom bill,” describing her own decision at the time to stay quiet while working at ESPN.
She later referenced the case of swimmer Lia Thomas and said she believed she would be “complicit” if she remained silent, describing workplace pushback she said followed her public support for women’s sports.
Steele named several athletes and advocates she said had shown “courage” by speaking publicly, including Riley Gaines, Peyton McNabb, Paula Scanlon, Chelsea Mitchell, Mary Kate Marshall, Madison Kenyon, Lainey Armstead, Sia Lillie, and Caitlin Wheeler.
She closed by quoting a line from the West Point cadet prayer that she said her father had her memorize as a child, urging people to “choose the harder right instead of the easier wrong.”
Watch her full remarks on the NMI News Service Facebook page and YouTube channel.
