Transgender Minnesota high school softball player Marissa Rothenberger, who reportedly switched genders at 9 years old, has been fanning opponents during her junior prep season.
Rothenberger is a pitcher for Champlin Park High School in Champlin, Minnesota, which is located about 15 miles northwest of Minneapolis and has amassed a 5-1 record in the circle this season.
Rothenberger’s profile as a solid pitcher in the North Star State comes amid the ongoing debate of biological males competing in women’s sports.
The matter has reached a fever pitch since Donald Trump’s reinsertion as American President, with him pushing for a ban and even signed an executive order entitled: ‘Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports’.
Transgender athletes’ rights have been a divisive issue for several years with swimmer Lia Thomas and volleyball star Blaire Fleming finding themselves at the heart of the fierce debate, with Rothenberger joining them.
At 9, Rothenberger’s mother applied in district court to alter her child’s birth certificate after their ninth birthday, with the petition being approved, per Reduxx. Rothenberger was issued a new birth certificate showing to be born female, switching their name from ‘Charlie Dean’ to Marissa.
Transgender Minnesota high school softball player Marissa Rothenberger is in her junior year
Donald Trump has signed an executive order banning transgender athletes in women’s sports
Minnesota does not require birth certificates to be marked if they have a gender change, per Outkick, with that not standing in Marissa’s way of eligibility.
Trump’s executive order led the NCAA to update its policy on transgender athletes in women’s sports, using birth certificates to determine an athlete’s gender.
Rothenberger’s junior-year stats heading into Champlin Park’s Friday night game, which includes a 0.72 earned-run average and 59 strikeouts, while only giving up a single home run, line up with athletes who can earn college softball opportunities.
Rothenberger would be eligible to continuing playing under the NCAA banner with the current policy, even if there are protests from opponents or teammates.
The Trump administration is currently suing the state of Maine for not complying with his executive order, with no such action known toward Minnesota.
On Thursday’s episode of ‘Around The Horn’, panelist and former ESPN staffer Kate Fagan spoke out on the issue in favor of transgender athletes.
‘Trans kids deserve to play sports,’ Fagan said. ‘Think about what you remember from your time playing sports and 99 percent of it is: finding that jersey for the first time, your favorite number, community, joy, those high-fives.’
‘It’s that moment when you have a great play with a teammate, it’s the feeling of belonging and it does not know gender. Trans kids deserve that – the same as everybody else does.’
