VICTOR JOECKS: Democrats refuse to stand with UNR’s courageous volleyball team
An act of courage can both change the world and expose cowards. Just look at the different reactions to the University of Nevada, Reno’s volleyball team.
On Monday, Outkick reported that UNR volleyball players decided to forfeit their Oct. 26 match against San Jose State. As I wrote earlier this month, the San Jose State team includes Blaire Fleming, a man who pretends to be a woman. Fleming’s spikes are so powerful that his own teammate, Brooke Slusser, calls the hits “scary.” She believes “that Fleming’s spikes significantly increased the risk of her, teammates and opponents being concussed,” according to a lawsuit to which she’s a party.
Several teams have refused to play San Jose State. They forfeited to protect their players and protest this absurdity. UNLV’s volleyball team wasn’t among them.
Before Monday, UNR officials said their team’s game would go on, too. But that was a decision made by school officials, not the players.
“We demand that our right to safety and fair competition on the court be upheld,” UNR’s volleyball players said in a statement. “We refuse to participate in any match that advances injustice against female athletes.”
But UNR officials weren’t cheering. The school put out a statement that said, “The players’ decision and statement were made independently.” Further, the forfeit “does not represent the position of the university.”
Former Gov. Brian Sandoval is president of UNR. This statement reveals to the whole world that he’s a coward. Despite his impressive résumé, he doesn’t have an iota of the courage that UNR volleyball player Sia Liilii has. She’s been speaking for the team on this.
Gov. Joe Lombardo had a different take. “I wholeheartedly respect the decision of the players,” he said in a statement. “No student athlete should ever be pressured to play a game where they don’t feel safe — period.”
Many Republicans have offered their support. CD3 candidate Drew Johnson, who’s long been a leader on this issue, praised the team. So did Lt. Gov. Stavros Anthony and many other Republicans. Senate candidate Sam Brown, along with Tulsi Gabbard, attended a UNR volleyball game Tuesday to support the team.
Democrats, however, are running scared. I asked the offices of Sen. Jacky Rosen, Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, Rep. Dina Titus, Rep. Susie Lee and Rep. Steven Horsford if they supported the UNR team’s decision. I asked some legislative Democrats, including Senate Majority Leader Nicole Cannizzaro, the same thing.
Crickets. More cowardice.
But the public doesn’t have to guess where Democrats stand. Rosen sponsored a bill that would have forced women to compete against men in sports. Reps. Titus, Horsford and Lee voted against the “Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act.” That bill would have prohibited boys and men from competing in female sports.
Nevada Democrats won’t defend their position because it’s deeply unpopular. National polling shows that even a plurality of Democrats oppose men competing in women’s sports.
Republicans need to keep pushing this. Not only is it good politics, but protecting female athletes is the right thing to do.
Victor Joecks’ column appears in the Opinion section each Sunday, Wednesday and Friday. Contact him at vjoecks@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4698. Follow @victorjoecks on X.