Payton McNabb Slams Michigan Over Trans Athlete In Girls' Volleyball: 'Unsafe, Unfair, Ridiculous'
OutKick's Dan Zaksheske is covering the MHSAA girls' volleyball state tournament, where a team with a trans-identifying male has advanced to the next round
Payton McNabb knows better than anyone what can happen when male athletes are allowed to compete in girls' sports.
The former North Carolina high school athlete was knocked unconscious and suffered long-term injuries after a biological male spiked a volleyball into her head during a 2022 match. Now, as a girls' volleyball team in Michigan advances through the state tournament with a trans-identifying male on the roster, McNabb says officials are failing female athletes all over again.
"When a male dominates girls’ volleyball for a second straight year, it’s not just a problem — it’s proof of failure," said McNabb, who now serves as an ambassador for Independent Women, in a statement sent to OutKick. "Failure by schools, athletic associations, and every adult who chose silence over fairness."
(Photo by Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images)
As OutKick's Dan Zaksheske has reported, Ann Arbor Skyline's girls' volleyball team includes a biological male who identifies as transgender. The team defeated DeWitt in the regional semifinal on Tuesday, advancing to the next round of the MHSAA state tournament.
Parents and fans at the match expressed visible discomfort with the male athlete's participation — some wearing pro-woman shirts in protest — but the Michigan High School Athletic Association continues to dodge questions about whether the athlete received a required waiver to compete.
"This is the second year in a row this male athlete has stolen opportunities and titles that belong to girls," McNabb said. "It’s unsafe, it’s unfair, and it’s absolutely ridiculous."
McNabb has suffered significant neurological and physical complications since her injury, including blurred vision, balance issues, partial paralysis and depression.
"Every time I see this happen, I think about how quickly one decision can change everything for an athlete," she said. "I’ll never forget that feeling — knowing the system failed to protect us."
And she doesn’t want other girls to face the same fate.
"This isn’t about politics or winning and losing," McNabb said. "It’s about ensuring no girl is ever put in that position again. We owe them that much."