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In an utterly extraordinary two-minute broadcast that’s deservedly making the rounds, Texan sports anchor Dale Hansen came out in defense of the trans teen who’s unwittingly found himself at the center of a national controversy.
Hansen refers to Mack Beggs, the 17-year-old wrestler who won a state girls’ wrestling title despite identifying as male and taking testosterone as part of his gender confirmation process.
The anchorman had some choice words in regards to those Texas state regulations that forced Beggs to compete according to the sex on his birth certificate.
The WFAA-TV reporter says:
“Maybe I just hoped that in 2017, we would be done arguing about birth certificates, but obviously we’re not. Somebody has to find a better answer than what we’re being given now.”
Later on in the broadcast, he states:
“Transitioning is a struggle I cannot imagine. It is a journey I could not make….
[Beggs] needs our support, and he does not need a group of old men in Austin telling him who to wrestle because of a genetic mixup at birth… He’s a child, simply looking for his place in the world, and a chance to compete in the world.”
By Thursday afternoon, the video had already received well over 647,000 views on Facebook.
Among those who’ve praised Hansen’s speech were Montel Williams and Sarah McBride:
@Benioff this is must see – @dalehansen breaks down the war on trans people… Truly profound… https://t.co/16a3HeX72D
— Montel Williams (@Montel_Williams) March 2, 2017
Dallas @wfaachannel8 sports anchor @dalehansen gets it: Mack should be allowed to compete and pursue his dreams. https://t.co/Z0TwsaAXUp
— Sarah McBride (@SarahEMcBride) February 28, 2017
Beggs has yet to personally respond to Hansen’s speech, but speaking to The Dallas Morning News on Wednesday, he said he’s surprised by just how much attention the story is getting.
“This is nuts,” he said, claiming the case is part of a “bigger, more complex situation.”
“My masculinity doesn’t define who I am. I define who I am.”
Watch Dale Hansen’s powerful remarks below:
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This post was originally published on Queerty and is republished here with permission.
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