By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2025-01-12 15:29:50 | Updated at 2025-01-12 19:36:30
4 hours ago
A transgender college basketball player has made the bold claim that she is at a 'major biological disadvantage', despite her record-breaking success on the court.
Harriette Mackenzie, 21, leads Vancouver Island in points, rebounds and blocks this season, and previously broke five women's basketball records at Mount Royal University, her previous school.
But despite this, Mackenzie - a biological male - claims she is at a major 'competitive' disadvantage when she plays against women on the court.
Explaining that she began transitioning in 'kindergarten or first grade', she said: 'I'm playing at a major biological disadvantage.
'I never went through male puberty, I only went through female puberty.'
She then added: 'I believe all trans people should be included in sports.'
Harriette Mackenzie claims she is at a 'major biological disadvantage' playing against women
The 6ft 2ins forward hit the headlines in recent months amid claims she was subjected to both physical and verbal abuse by a recent opponent and its coach.
Mackenzie and her Vancouver Island University teammates were supposed to be playing twice against Columbia Bible College (CBC) in Abbotsford, B.C this weekend but have claimed they do not feel safe enough to do so.
The two schools played a pair of games on consecutive days back in October and trans player Mackenzie has accused CBC coach Taylor Claggett of applauding rough play on her.
In a video posted to Instagram on October 30, she also alleged that Claggett 'corned' a Vancouver Island staffer and insisted she shouldn't be able to play women's basketball during a 'tirade' after their first game.
Mackenzie - who stands at 6ft 2 - leads 11-1 Vancouver Island in points, rebounds and blocks
The following morning, Mackenzie also received a call from her upset coach who wanted to alert her to social media posts made by somebody close to Claggett.
The posts were fiercely critical of Mackenzie and said 'keep women's sports, women's sports', 'complete joke' and 'make it make sense'.
Mackenzie, who began her transition in kindergarten having never undergone a male puberty, also accused CBC of 'trying to injure me' during the second game between the two schools.
In her Instagram post, she cited one clip of her being thrown to the floor by a CBC player and a second that appeared to show Claggett applauding the action on the sideline.
Mackenzie began her transition in kindergarten having never undergone a male puberty
A CBC statement at the time said Claggett was 'speaking out for the safety of her players like any good coach would do.'
Claggett also posted on Instagram that the allegations were 'simply untrue to who I am and what I believe as a person, a coach and a leader.'
'We stand in support of Taylor Claggett, and all our coaches, in expressing their legitimate concerns for the safety of our student-athletes,' the school's statement added.
All 13 players on the Vancouver Island University squad have signed a letter to the Pacific Western Athletic Association (PACWEST), the conference in which both teams compete, insisting they do not feel safe to play CBC.
