This weekend, Mack Beggs became the first transgender person to in Texas high school wrestling. The junior at Trinity High School in Euless, Texas, began transitioning from female to male two years ago. He began taking testosterone, which some coaches and parents say gives Beggs an unfair advantage.
Here & Now鈥榮 Jeremy Hobson talks with Beggs about his win and what it鈥檚 like to be a teenaged transgender athlete in Texas.
Interview Highlights
On his reaction to being in the national media
鈥淚t鈥檚 pretty wild. I never thought it would even make it past my local newspaper. Like ever. Some people were just sitting here last night and getting stuff done, and I was like 鈥榃oah, this is for real.鈥� I鈥檓 in shock, I really am in shock.鈥�
On the championship match, being booed and wrestling with the girls instead of the boys
鈥淚 wanted to win. That鈥檚 what I put in my mind. I said to myself, 鈥業 worked hard for this. I did everything in my power, everything that I could do in order to be here right now, and I deserve to be here.鈥� And I wanted to win. Because that was the first time that I鈥檇 ever done something that huge in my life. It was such a good feeling and such a place to be at that moment 鈥� it was just the greatest feeling in the world.鈥�
鈥淭o be honest, I didn鈥檛 even hear them [the crowd members booing]. I didn鈥檛 hear anything. I was just in shock that I won it. I had look at my coach and look at the scoreboard a couple times because I just couldn鈥檛 believe that it was finally over and that I finally did it.鈥�
鈥淚 do really wish that I could wrestle the guys. That鈥檚 something that I really want to try to change.鈥�
On the people who think it鈥檚 unfair that he鈥檚 taken testosterone
鈥淵eah, and that鈥檚 something that people who disagree or are commenting negatively about it, they don鈥檛 understand. They don鈥檛 understand the science that鈥檚 actually what鈥檚 behind it for HRT and transitioning for trans people. What they don鈥檛 understand, because it鈥檚 not just like a regular cis male or cis female putting testosterone in their body. I鈥檓 having to slowly increase my dosage over a long period of time. If I put too much then it could affect me negatively medically. And that鈥檚 what people don鈥檛 understand. They鈥檙e just afraid. They鈥檙e afraid of the facts and what actually could be the possibility that, well maybe, I鈥檓 just going to blame it on this kid because now this kid is winning. And, it鈥檚 messed up. It鈥檚 a messed up situation.鈥�
鈥淚鈥檓 not taking enough in order for it to give me an advantage at all. I鈥檓 not even taking enough for me to be at normal levels, and that鈥檚 just the facts. And I鈥檓 being very open about that with people, even though it might take away some of my manhood. But you know, that鈥檚 what it is.鈥�
On facing discrimination
鈥淲ell, I talked to my former wrestlers and my opponents. I talked to them and it doesn鈥檛 seem like they have a problem. They鈥檙e so supportive, and they just say, 鈥業鈥檓 so sorry that you鈥檙e in this situation. You鈥檙e a phenomenal wrestler, and I just think it鈥檚 messed up what they鈥檙e doing.鈥� And I鈥檝e begun to realize that it鈥檚 not these kids. They just want to wrestle just as much as I want to wrestle. And that鈥檚 just what comes down to it. And these parents 鈥� I understand their concern, but they don鈥檛 even want to understand or begin to understand what鈥檚 the truth, and they just want to assume. That鈥檚 what makes me mad is just assuming and just wanting to put a blanket over what the truth is because they鈥檙e afraid.鈥�
鈥淚鈥檝e been getting a lot of supportive and positive feedback from students. I鈥檓 very fortunate to be able to experience that. Nothing negative.鈥�
Array
On his experience with the trans bathrooms or locker rooms controversy
鈥淭he issue of me staying in the females鈥� locker room and bathroom, but I understand why I can鈥檛 go into the males鈥� right now because if I change and I change in front of the guys, how would they feel. Honestly, I don鈥檛 even think of my own comfort. I think of other people鈥檚 comfort. I would understand to where if I were to change in the males鈥� locker room, I don鈥檛 have the proper, you know, equipment to be able to change in front of them as well. It鈥檚 just really confusing, and it鈥檚 a weird situation. But I鈥檓 fortunate enough to have a team where they accommodate for me and they want to make sure that I feel comfortable. They鈥檙e super supportive, and they all understand. And I鈥檓 very fortunate to have a team like that.鈥�
鈥淵es, I do. I鈥檓 going to be talking to my coaches and athletic staff and seeing if I can use the males鈥� locker room here pretty soon and discuss that with them.鈥�
On whether he鈥檒l wrestle next year
鈥淵es. I鈥檒l have to be, unfortunately, wrestling with the females again because the UIL (University Interscholastic League) already made a statement right after states saying that it鈥檚 not going to affect my senior year if they do make any chances. So unfortunately, that鈥檚 a bummer and that sucks, but it is what it is. And I will keep on fighting for it to get the law changed, but it鈥檚 not going to affect my career at the moment. But it sure is going to affect someone else鈥檚 in the future.鈥�
On his advice for other trans athletes
鈥淚 would say just follow your heart and whatever you feel like you need to do. Don鈥檛 let anyone tell you differently, don鈥檛 let anyone steer you from the path that you want to take. Just keep going with what you want to do and don鈥檛 let anyone affect that and stop you.鈥�
On whether he鈥檚 had to focus on a political issue rather than sport
鈥淚 really do feel like that, but I鈥檓 still with my team, still doing everyday stuff and doing what I do as I鈥檓 still a kid. And I don鈥檛 want all of this to take that away. Take away from my only time that I can enjoy being a kid. So, I鈥檓 just living it day by day and seeing what opportunities roll by. This is a huge opportunity for my team and for myself and just to advocate for my sport and then advocate for the LGBT community.鈥�
On his family鈥檚 reaction
鈥淢y family鈥檚 been good. A little hair pulling a little now and then. They all just can鈥檛 believe this just as much as I 鈥� we鈥檙e just really excited about all this. Just being able to advocate for trans athletes. And that鈥檚 something that I鈥檝e always wanted to do, and I鈥檓 finally able to do it.鈥�
Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. 9(MDAxODQzOTgwMDEyMTcyNjI4MTAxYWQyMw004))
