A Disney-ABC actress and former athlete is being targeted online for cancellation after she questioned whether it was right to allow transgender athletes to compete against girls and women.
Natasha Ward, an actress on Station 19, posted her opposition to transgender athletes in a post on her private Instagram page.
“We need to have this conversation. Supporting #transfreedom does not mean it’s ok to violate the rights of biological #women,” Ward wrote on the post.
“Pretending that trans women are not men who have a biological advantage and therefore place an undue burden on biological women is make believe and it is not science nor fact,” she added.
“When ‘your truth’ trumps ‘THE TRUTH’ and forces me to pretend that it’s not a lie we have a very real problem,” she said.
Her comments come at a time when biologically male athletes who identify as transgender women are crushing opposition in several sports competitions. Some states have passed legislation to protect female athletes from unfairly competing with transgender athletes, but the LGBTQ community has decried those efforts as “transphobic” and bigoted.
Ward made her account private after receiving caustic criticism from transgender activists and their allies.
Many demanded that Station 19 fire her from the cast over what they referred to as “transphobia.”
“Natasha ward deserves to be held accountable for what she’s said about trans women,” read one message on Twitter. “You can’t have a show an cast that celebrates diversity whilst having a known transphobe in the cast. do better station 19. please do what you must.”
“What is wrong with you #NatashaWard this is just downright degrading to trans women,” said another detractor. “Nobody is taking away cos womens rights by being trans. I don’t feel violated. this is basically saying that trans women aren’t real women. @station19 you might want to get rid of her. @station19”
“As a trans athlete, from the bottom of my heart, f*** you natasha ward,” replied a Twitter user who described themselves as “trans-masculine genderqueer lesbian.”
Here’s more about the trans-sports controversy:
Transgender athletes and the state of women’s sports
www.youtube.com