West Virginia middle school girls bare all about sharing locker room with 'vile' trans boy-to-girl athlete

West Virginia middle school girls have said they felt unsafe getting undressed in a locker room with a trans boy-to-girl athlete.

The track and field mates from Lincoln Middle School in a podcast said it was uncomfortable to share a bathroom with Becky Pepper-Jackson, 13.

The five girls, who are aged 13 and 14, shot to fame last month when they protested having to compete against Pepper-Jackson because she is a biological male.

Four of them spoke with women's rights campaigner Riley Gaines in her podcast this week about the competition protest, a video of which went viral.

They say school district officials treated them poorly and that biological boys should not be allowed into girls' washrooms or on their sports teams.

The schoolgirls who protested against their trans shot putt rival spoke about the uproar on this week's Gaines for Girls podcast 

The show is hosted by Riley Gaines, a former college swimmer who became a women's rights advocate over biological males competing in female sports 

'It's kind of scary, actually, that he's allowed to be in the same bathrooms,' said one of the four girls in the podcast.

'What about real women? We're scared, but we have to let him feel okay, because we don't want to be transphobic.'

Another of the young athletes said changing rooms are 'supposed to be a place where women can change and feel safe without men being around.'

The five girl athletes refused to compete against Pepper-Jackson in the shot putt event of Harris County Middle School Track and Field Championship on April 18.

They stepped up to the circle for their turn, then refused to throw the ball.

Pepper-Jackson, of Bridgeport Middle School, won the event.

The school district responded by banning the five girls from future events.

West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey then filed a lawsuit against the Harrison County Board of Education on the students' behalf, which overturned the ban.

It has since emerged, in a separate lawsuit, that Pepper-Jackson made 'offensive and inappropriate sexual comments' to female teammates.

The trans youth grew more 'aggressive, vile, and disturbing' and told teammates to suck my d**k' on several occasions, it is alleged.

Four of the West Virginia schoolgirls spoke on the Gaines for Girls podcast, from Outkick

Trans student Pepper-Jackson has vowed to continue her fight to participate on female sports teams

Women's rights activist and former college swimmer Riley Gaines says the girls who protested were 'brave' and 'inspiring' 

West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey filed a successful lawsuit against the Harrison County Board of Education on student's behalf

Speaking on the Gaines for Girls podcast, the four athletes did not describe Pepper-Jackson making any offensive comments.

But they accused school officials of pressuring them to compete against biological males and to keep quiet about their concerns.

'Lately, we've been caring more about what trans women want and making them comfortable,' one of the girls said.

'But what about us? Lately, we've just been moved aside.'

Another of them said: 'I don't think that we're transphobic for standing up for what's right.'

One of the girls said the protest and ensuing legal fight was worthwhile because it encouraged other girls to stand up for male-free competitions.

'I think we kind of gave a voice for those people that were scared,' she said.

'And now they're not scared anymore.'

They appeared in a video of the podcast, but have not been identified by name.

Gaines, 24, a former University of Kentucky swimmer who rose to prominence through her own protest against a biological male competitor, praised the girls as 'brave' and 'inspiring.'

Whether or not biological males should be allowed to compete on female sports teams has become a hot button issue in America's culture wars.

Transgender rights groups say society must accept trans people as their professed sex.

Pepper-Jackson has lived as a girl for more than five years. She began identifying as female in the third grade and has participated strictly on girls' sports teams

Pepper-Jackson told NBC News in October that she would not give up on her fight to compete in girls sports

Many female athletes say biological males are stronger and faster, and including them make competitions unfair.

Pepper-Jackson was only able to compete as a girl after winning her own legal fight against a 2021 West Virginia ban on trans school athletes.

West Virginia is among the 24 states barring transgender women and girls from competing in sports consistent with their gender identity.

Judges in Pepper-Jackson's case noted that she had lived as a girl for more than five years, and gave her a carve-out from the rule.

She began identifying as female in the third grade and has participated strictly on girls' sports teams.

In addition to taking puberty blockers and estrogen hormone therapy, Pepper-Jackson has legally changed her name, and the state of West Virginia has issued her a birth certificate listing her as female.

Pepper-Jackson told NBC News in October that she would not give up on her fight to compete in girl's sports.

'This is something I truly love, and I'm not going to give up for anything,' she said.

Her mother, Heather Pepper-Jackson, said: 'She likes to do the best in everything, be it algebra or running or shot put or discus.'

'She tries to excel in everything that she does, just like any other kid ... if she didn't start the fight, who's going to?'