(LifeSiteNews) — A former NBA player has spoken out against men who compete in women’s sports.
In an interview with Vlad TV released October 1, Matt Barnes said biological males who identify as females should not be allowed to play on female sports teams.
While Barnes did say that he does not have a problem with people making certain choices in their everyday lives, he said men who compete in women’s sports or vice versa is a different story.
“I don’t like that,” said Barnes, when asked what he would think if an NBA player joined the WNBA. “If you’re born a woman, I think you should play women’s sports, and if you’re born a man, I think you should play men’s sports.”
Barnes’ comments come at a time when biological males identifying as females have infiltrated women’s sports. One such transgender athlete, William “Lia” Thomas, sparked controversy over the last year after identifying as a woman and joining the University of Pennsylvania ‘s female swim team.
Thomas, who did not fare well when he competed as a male swimmer and has since dominated female competitors, said this past summer that trans athletes do not have an advantage over female athletes.
“We transition to be happy, and authentic, and our true selves,” Thomas said, denying the possibility that biological males might have a slight advantage over biological females. “Transitioning to get an advantage is not something that even factors into our decisions.”
“Trans women are not a threat to women’s sports,” he continued.
However, Barnes said that men who play on women’s teams would definitely have an impact on sports, saying that if a top NBA player joined the women’s team, it would “change the whole dynamic of the game.”
“When it comes to sports, I think that crossing that line is a line that shouldn’t be crossed,” he said.
Barnes clarified that he is while he is normally “pro-make your choice,” that when it comes to sports.
“Sports is a different beast,” he said, saying that athletes should play as the sex they were born as.
“I think, you know, I think if, and this is a deep, to each his own, you want to be whatever you want to be,” he told Vlad News. “But I mean, if you’re born a certain [sex] you should play it. Whatever you’re born… I feel like you should play in that space.”
“If you wanna do whatever you wanna do with your life, I respect that, it’s not my business,” he said. “But I just think the sports thing is just a little different.”