I was sitting at track practice with my team. We were preparing for a hard workout that day.

“I hope it’s not a sprinting workout. I hate sprinting,” one girl complained.

“I totally agree, what’s the point? We run distance events,” another girl said. I looked up at the stairs and saw something horrible. A new girl was coming to join the track team.

“Guys, look. Up there at the top of the stairs,” I whispered. Everyone looked and gasped. A new girl. This was unheard of. Coach walked over to us, the new girl trailing sheepishly behind.

“Ladies, this is Melissa. Melissa has informed me today that she now identifies as a track athlete, even though she used to play lacrosse. I was totally unsure how to react to this news, so I brought her here to plead her case to you guys.” We all rolled our eyes, but coach said, “Alright Melissa, tell them what you told me.”

Melissa took a deep breath and said, “Hi. I’m Melissa. I used to identify as a lacrosse player, but it just wasn’t the real me. I wasn’t comfortable on that team, playing that sport. I realized months ago I was a track athlete, but I have just been too scared to admit it. I finally found the courage to come to this sport. I really hope you guys accept me on this team because this is where I belong.” She finished her story and sighed. We all scrutinized her. We stared at her hair, her shoes, her socks, and her clothes. I knew we all had the same thought.

I decided to be the spokesperson. “Wow. Just wow. Moving story. But, you just don’t look like a track athlete. You look like a lacrosse player. I mean, look at your Nike trainers. Those aren’t for track. And look at your high, braided ponytail. When was the last time a track athlete was spotted sporting that? The answer is never. Frankly, this track thing is just a phase. We don’t think we’re going to recognize you as a track athlete or let you join the team because you just don’t look like you belong here. You’ll get over this phase. It might make you unhappy, but we don’t really care. You were born to play lacrosse, not run track. Sorry.” My team nodded vehemently, and coach smiled. Melissa’s eyes filled with tears, but the entire team gave her a look that screamed, “it’s time to go.” She walked away slowly, probably still crying.

We spent the practice laughing about how outrageous that was. How you can identify with another sport when you don’t look like that type of athlete? The answer is simple: you can’t.

I bet you’re reading this and rolling your eyes. “What mean girls,” you scoff. “This would never happen.” The reality is, however, it does happen. Maybe not with sports, but with gender. There are people everywhere who are unhappy in their body, in their gender, and all they want is the liberty to identify as they choose. However, laws prohibit these people from entering a bathroom not assigned to their biological gender, even if they have identified as the opposite gender for years.

“This story is nothing like that,” you laugh. But it is. Not being able to do what makes you feel happy and comfortable in your skin is something no one should go through, whether it be joining a sports team or using the bathroom you feel comfortable in. Nobody should be told how they and can’t identify and what they can and can’t do under their chosen identity. It’s happening everywhere, and it’s wrong. No human being should be chastised for trying to be happy and comfortable. No matter what.