Kim Russell isn’t backing down
Kaylee McGhee White
Though the issue directly affects their ability to compete safely and fairly, few female athletes have spoken out against the inclusion of men in women’s sports and private spaces. Kim Russell’s story helps explain why.
Russell has worked as the women’s lacrosse head coach for Oberlin College, a private school in Ohio, for the past five years, but was reassigned to a desk job this week after she objected to allowing transgender athletes to compete against women. Russell had made a post on her social media congratulating collegiate swimmer Emma Weyant, who was forced to swim against transgender swimmer Lia Thomas, as the “real winner” of the 500-yard freestyle at the 2022 NCAA women’s swimming championship. One of Russell’s own lacrosse players reported her to Oberlin’s administration, and what followed was an astonishing example of harassment and bigotry.
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During one of the many disciplinary meetings Russell had to sit through following her Instagram post, Natalie Winkelfoos, associate vice president for athletics at Oberlin, told Russell: “Unfortunately, you fall into the category of people that are kind of filled with hate in the world,” Winkelfoos said, according to a recording Russell took of the conversation.
Creg Jantz, senior associate director of athletics, then threatened Russell’s career. “It’s acceptable to have your own opinions,” he said, “but when they go against your college’s beliefs, it’s a problem. For your career.”
And sure enough, just weeks later, Russell was informed she was being reassigned from head coach to Oberlin’s “Employee Wellness Project Manager,” which she said is a “desk job” with little to no contact with students.
“I have been taken out of the role of coach, which is what I’ve done for 27 years,” Russell said. “There were no rules that I was breaking. I was speaking my belief, my opinion.”
In a statement, Oberlin claimed it stands by Russell’s right to speak freely about her values and said Russell’s reassignment was the result of a “breach of trust” rather than the views she expressed. But what about the trust Oberlin violated when its administrators disparaged and mocked a woman for stating a belief that more than 70% of the public shares?
Oberlin is clearly trying to force Russell out. But perhaps the coach ought to legally remind the school that women not only have the right to their own sex-exclusive spaces and activities, but the right to speak their minds whenever they damn well please.
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Kaylee McGhee White is the editor of Restoring America for the Washington Examiner and a senior fellow at the Independent Women’s Forum.