A transgender college basketball player has made a bold statement, claiming she is at a “major biological disadvantage” despite her impressive achievements on the court.
Harriette Mackenzie, 21, currently leads Vancouver Island in points, rebounds, and blocks this season. Before this, she broke five women’s basketball records at Mount Royal University, her previous school. Despite her success, Mackenzie, who is a biological male, insists that she faces a significant competitive disadvantage when playing against women.
She explained that her transition began in kindergarten or first grade, saying, “I’m playing at a major biological disadvantage. I never went through male puberty; I only went through female puberty.” Mackenzie also expressed her belief that “all trans people should be included in sports.”
Mackenzie and her Vancouver Island University team were scheduled to play two games against Columbia Bible College (CBC) in Abbotsford, B.C., but they claimed they didn’t feel safe enough to proceed. The teams had previously played two games in October, and Mackenzie accused CBC coach Taylor Claggett of encouraging rough play against her.
In an Instagram video posted on October 30, Mackenzie alleged that Claggett cornered a Vancouver Island staff member and argued that Mackenzie shouldn’t be allowed to play women’s basketball. The next morning, Mackenzie’s coach informed her of social media posts criticizing her. The posts included comments like “keep women’s sports, women’s sports” and “complete joke.”
Mackenzie, who never went through male puberty, also accused CBC of trying to injure her during their second game. She shared a video clip showing her being thrown to the floor by a CBC player, with another clip appearing to show Claggett applauding the action.
In response, CBC released a statement defending Claggett, saying she was advocating for her players’ safety. Claggett herself posted that the allegations were “simply untrue to who I am and what I believe as a person, a coach, and a leader.”
All 13 players on the Vancouver Island team signed a letter to the Pacific Western Athletic Association (PACWEST), stating they did not feel safe playing against CBC.
