Female track star opens up on sacrifices of fighting to ‘Save Women’s Sports’

Nothing was going to cease Alexa Anderson from stepping off the medal podium that night on Could 30. Not if a organic man had been additionally current.

Anderson had simply completed in third place within the ladies excessive soar state championship, marking her last highschool monitor efficiency in Oregon after 4 intense years of competitors and coaching. However she would not see the medal for all that tough work for months, she claims.

After she and fellow excessive soar podium finisher Reese Eckhard, who completed fourth, stepped off the rostrum in protest of a trans athlete who completed fifth, Anderson claimed she was compelled out of the championship image and by no means obtained her third-place medal.

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The allegations are on the coronary heart of an ongoing lawsuit, which has already handed a authorized hurdle after a federal choose denied a movement by the Oregon Faculty Exercise Affiliation (OSAA) to drop the cost from the lawsuit.

“I requested after the medal ceremony was over, we went right into a form of tunnel that leads you again to the viewers, and I requested one of many officers, ‘Hey, are we going to get our medals?’ and she or he mentioned they’d be despatched to our college. After which they had been by no means despatched to our college,” Anderson informed Fox Information Digital.

Months of demise threats adopted. Anderson claims that many critics even referred to as her college Tigard Excessive Faculty in Tigard, Oregon, whereas lobbying for her expulsion simply earlier than she graduated.

She witnessed a childhood hero assault Simone Biles and physique shamer Riley Gaines in protection of trans athletes in ladies’s sports activities – the very factor she was now being threatened with for standing up. She witnessed a budding idol in Charlie Kirk being murdered whereas talking out concerning the trans group, all earlier than she obtained her medal.

And she or he witnessed it, reportedly, earlier than she obtained her medal.

She needed to take the OSAA to courtroom and file swimsuit for alleged withholding of medals and First Modification violations earlier than she lastly obtained her {hardware}.

“I solely just lately obtained my medal,” Anderson mentioned, including that the medals had been despatched on to the regulation agency representing her within the authorized battle, the America First Coverage Institute (AFPI).

The medals had been then ceremonially introduced to her and Eckard on the Fox Nation Patriot Awards earlier in November, when the 2 obtained the Most Invaluable Patriot award.

OREGON ATHLETES WIN ‘MOST VALUABLE PATRIOT’ AWARD AFTER REFUSED TO SHARE PODIUM WITH TRANS COMPETITOR

Reese Eckard and Alexa Anderson settle for the Most Invaluable Patriot Award from Will Cain and Martha MacCallum on stage in the course of the 2025 Fox Nation Patriot Awards on the Tilles Heart for the Performing Arts in Greenvale, New York, on November 6, 2025. (Roy Rochlin/Getty Photographs)

In spite of everything that ready, Anderson is now selecting to go away the medal at her mother and father’ house in Oregon whereas she warms up for her freshman season on the College of South Alabama.

“It is positively irritating that we did not get them at this level… however it’s form of what it’s at this level. There are extra necessary issues we’re combating for,” she mentioned. “After all I needed that medal, I labored tremendous onerous to get to that place the place I used to be on the rostrum… however a part of me additionally knew that it was a part of the sacrifice I made after I stepped off that podium, and that there could be penalties.”

The results began instantly, however grew to become increasingly more intense over time.

From the second she left the stage on Could 30, there have been penalties.

“There have been individuals who simply attacked us and mentioned, ‘You are bullies, you are horrible folks.'”

Anderson informed Fox Information Digital earlier in June that a lot of the on-line reception she obtained after the incident was constructive. However that modified as her story unfold within the ensuing weeks and months.

She started to study what life was actually like within the heart of the tradition struggle “Save women’s sports.”

“I had folks calling my college asking to be expelled as a result of I wasn’t allowed to stroll at commencement,” Anderson claimed. ‘There have been individuals who messaged me personally, who mentioned horrible issues, even demise threats.

“I hope you die,” she says in a single message, whereas one other reads: “Your mother and father are positively ashamed of you…”

“It positively damage.”

But it surely by no means damage sufficient to make her resign.

Anderson mentioned not one of the intimidation was sufficient to scare her into transferring ahead with a lawsuit.

“Part of me anticipated this and knew that that is precisely what occurs whenever you rise up for what you imagine in,” she mentioned.

OREGON GIRLS PROTESTING TRANS ATHLETE AT TRACK AND FIELD MEDAL PODIUM SCORE LEGAL WIN IN LAWSUIT

Oregon monitor and area athletes Reese Eckard and Alexa Anderson won’t be on a medal podium subsequent to a transgender opponent. (Courtesy of America First Coverage Institute)

And now the lawsuit between her and Eckard is progressing.

U.S. District Courtroom Decide Youlee Yim You denied the OSAA’s request to strike a part of the lawsuit highlighting what types of political expression the league does enable, together with Black Lives Matter and pro-LGBTQ delight messages, which was a key level within the plaintiffs’ argument.

Anderson mentioned that in her four-year highschool profession, she commonly noticed different athletes protesting at occasions with out ever being punished.

“I’ve seen quite a lot of speeches about help and rights for the LGBTQ group, the trans group, quite a lot of issues from the Black Lives Matter motion… sporting shirts, flags, issues like that,” she mentioned. “I feel it is rather dangerous to college students to solely enable them to specific sure views that you simply agree with.”

But she has by no means seen anybody else step off a stage in protest. That is her signature.

As Anderson and Eckard proceed their lawsuit, they intention to safe First Modification protections for the entire state’s college students, no matter their beliefs.

Her lawyer at AFPI, Leigh’Ann O’Neill, informed Fox Information Digital what it will take to settle the lawsuit.

“OSAA should take a really affirmative place and show that they’ll respect all views of their athletes and members of their different extracurricular actions in Oregon,” O’Neill mentioned. “When are we going to see Oregon step up and make it clear to their athletes that it is okay to disagree with us?

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“Nominal damages are being sought as a part of the lawsuit, which is sort of a technicality, and it is actually about making certain the safety of their freedom of expression.”

Fox Information Digital has reached out to the OSAA and Tigard Excessive Faculty for remark.

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