Seattle sports columnist Matt Calkins, who spent 11 years with the Seattle Times, announced his resignation on Thursday. Calkins said the newspaper refused to publish a column he wrote about two Washington student‑athletes who speak out against allowing transgender girls to compete in girls’ and women’s sports.
Column focused on student‑athlete voices
The piece centered on a 16‑year‑old high‑school runner, Ahnaleigh Wilson, and Tumwater High School basketball player Frances Staudt. Both athletes have publicly expressed concerns that competing against biological males creates safety and fairness issues for girls. Calkins said he wanted to show that supporting sex‑separated competition does not automatically equate to hostility toward transgender people.
“I tried to write a column through the eyes of two student athletes who were kind of speaking out against biological males in girls/women’s sports,” Calkins told Fox News Digital. “I submitted this column a couple Fridays ago to my editors… six days later they decided it wasn’t going to run.”
Paper cites procedural excuse
The Seattle Times editorial team told Calkins the story could not be published because he had not informed them in advance. Calkins rejected that rationale, saying the decision left him unable to perform the job he was hired to do.
“All they said was that, ‘You didn’t tell us you were doing this in advance, so we can’t run it.’ But I didn’t buy the excuse,” he said.
Pattern of editorial pushback
Calkins noted that previous columns that deviated from the paper’s typical stance were also spiked. He emphasized respect for his former editors, acknowledging the pressure they face when handling divisive topics, but argued that the newsroom was increasingly limiting the range of opinions he could express.
“I couldn’t do my job as a columnist because I feel like they were stifling my voice,” Calkins added.
Background to the controversy
The column was inspired by a rally held before a July 28 WNBA game between the Seattle Storm and Indiana Fever at Climate Pledge Arena. The rally supported Fever guard Sophie Cunningham, who has spoken out against transgender women participating in women’s sports. At the event, Wilson recounted competing against a transgender athlete, while Staudt said she would decline to play against a transgender opponent.
Following the rally, Seattle Storm co‑owner Celeste Keaton allegedly confronted Wilson inside the arena, using profanity to criticize her stance. The Storm later apologized, and the WNBA fined Keaton and barred her from five home games.
State ballot measure looming
Calkins’ resignation comes as Washington voters prepare to decide Initiative IL26‑638 in November. The measure would require schools to prohibit students identified as biologically male from competing in athletic activities designated for female students and would mandate verification of a student’s biological sex by a health‑care provider.
Supporters argue the initiative protects fairness and safety in girls’ sports, while opponents contend it discriminates against transgender students and imposes invasive eligibility requirements. The debate over the initiative forms the broader context for Calkins’ column and his departure from the newspaper.
Future plans
Calkins said he has no firm professional plans yet but intends to continue writing independently, likely via his Substack platform, where he has already posted the rejected column.
“I love to keep writing. I love sports. I love to be able to speak my mind,” he said. “Hopefully I can stay in that realm.”
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
