Advocacy for Girls in Sports

Good afternoon, Madam Chair and members of the committee.

My name is Ainsley and I am a Minnesota athlete.

I play volleyball.

I am here on behalf of many other girls,

friends, and teammates.

Why?

Because many other girls in Minnesota are fearful of

the consequences of our message, which is simple,

and we don't ask for much considering

how far we have come and

how hard my grandmother fought to get us here.

Our message is only this.

Girls belong in girls sports.

However, many girls are fearful of consequences like retaliation at school,

losing their spots on teams,

or even friendships just for standing up for our rights.

Our rights to exist as young girls who

will one day be women with daughters of our own.

There should be no fear in asking you to preserve

one of our country's most basic rights,

equality.

Without this bill, girls could be forced to sit on sidelines

by men and boys who take their place.

That leaves us to believe that

girls in Minnesota just don't matter.

My good friend was on the USA Volleyball team last summer.

She told me,

quote, I sat behind the six-foot-four man serving the volleyball

and thought I could never receive that.

My friend is a six-foot-three guard.

What is the point of girls and boys teams if

males can play on girls only teams?

Members, fellow Minnesotans,

this isn't easy for me.

I'm a very agreeable person who hates controversy,

but I love truth.

I thought about my volleyball team,

the little girls I babysit,

my own hopes and dreams, and

one day being a mother of daughters.

I want to say I fought for them

and their future.

Members, please preserve our safety

and the opportunity we are entitled to

under the law in women's sports and

pass House File 12.

Thank you.