The breaking of a women’s school record last weekend by a transgender athlete at a New Jersey college has stirred controversy. This comes after three years of the athlete’s involvement with the men’s team.
At a meet in Pennsylvania last Saturday, Meghan Cortez-Fields, a senior at Ramapo College of New Jersey, not only clinched first place in the 100-yard butterfly but also established a new record.
Clocking in at 57.22 seconds, Meghan Cortez-Fields from College Station, Texas, surpassed the previous record set in 2017 by 0.68 seconds, as per the school’s most recent data. Additionally, she secured victory in the 200-yard individual medley at the Cougar Splash hosted by Misericordia University.
The school initially praised her recent achievement in a congratulatory Instagram post. However, the post was promptly removed as critics began to criticize Cortez-Fields’ victory, highlighting her recent inclusion in the women’s team for this season.
Riley Gaines, a former collegiate swimmer now turned activist, was one of the prominent voices expressing outrage. In a post on X, Gaines asserted that Cortez-Fields had transitioned from being a below-average male swimmer to breaking records while competing against women.
“Those who choose to remain blind to the injustice of allowing mediocre male athletes to become record-breaking female athletes are either incompetent or misogynists. There is no in between anymore,” Gaines said.
On X, the Independent Council on Women’s Sports (ICONS) joined the conversation, accusing Cortez-Fields of removing a woman’s name from the record books. In response, Ramapo College defended Cortez-Fields, emphasizing adherence to NCAA policies and expressing support for all their student athletes.
A statement said, “There are strict measures that the NCAA makes trans athletes go through. You have to meet certain criteria to show that you are able to, as a trans athlete, compete with women. We are an affiliate member of the NCAA. We are in compliance. We have done everything the NCAA says needs to be done regarding trans athletes competing on the team. All of the steps were taken, and documentation was provided for approval of Meghan’s participation.”
According to the school, the initial Instagram post was removed by a student aiming to shield their teammate from derogatory comments.
The criticism directed at Ramapo’s swimmer follows the controversy sparked by Lia Thomas from the University of Pennsylvania last year. Thomas drew attention for winning competitions after participating on the men’s squad for three years.
