Warning: This article discusses discrimination against the transgender community, which some readers may find distressing.
At 17, Verónica Garcia, a transgender athlete, delivered a strong message to her critics after facing boos for securing a track and field championship win for the second year in a row.
Verónica emerged victorious in the class 2A 400-meter sprint event held at Mount Tahoma High School in Tacoma, Washington, located about 45 minutes from Seattle, on Saturday, May 31.
Before the race commenced, while Verónica, a student at East Valley High School, was warming up, an individual wearing a ‘Save women’s sports’ T-shirt, emblazoned with the American flag, was heard making antagonistic remarks.
As reported by the Seattle Times, this man was positioned near the starting blocks and repeatedly shouted phrases like ‘girls race’ and ‘let’s go girls.’
Verónica finished the race a full second ahead of her closest competitor, West Valley junior Lauren Matthew, who was seen with a sign that said: “Washington State Track and Field Real Girls 2A 400m Champion.”
Verónica, who completed the race in 55.70 seconds, improving by half a second from her previous year’s timing, spoke to the Seattle Times, delivering a resolute message to her detractors.
“I’ll be honest, I kind of expect it,” she stated.
“But it maybe didn’t have their intended effect. It made me angry, but not angry as in, I wanted to give up, but angry as in, I’m going to push.”
“I’m going to put this in the most PG-13 way, I’m just going to say it’s a damn shame they don’t have anything else better to do. I hope they get a life. But oh well. It just shows who they are as people.”
She further added: “I’m really proud of myself. I did what I came to do, and that’s good enough for me.”
“One of the things that Martin Luther King always pointed out is that you have to do what’s right. Even if there comes risk, you still have to do what’s right,” Verónica reflected.
Meanwhile, Lauren, who placed second, shared her thoughts with Spokesman-Review, saying: “I shouldn’t have to push myself to the point of where I’m about to, like, die in order to win.”
“I know I’m gonna push myself to keep going, but I don’t want a man pushing me to have to go,” she continued, misgendering Garcia.
If any of these issues are affecting you and you need confidential support, you can reach out to the LGBT national hotline at 888-843-4564, available Monday to Friday from 4pm-12am ET and Saturdays from 12pm-5pm ET.