Three young women from Santa Rosa Junior College’s volleyball team have taken a bold step to defend their rights, filing a federal Title IX complaint to demand the removal of a male player from their roster. Sophomore Madison Shaw and freshmen Gracie Shaw and Brielle Galli say they were punished for objecting to the presence of Ximena Gomez, a male student identifying as a woman, who was allowed to join their team and compete directly against them.
The 46-page filing accuses both SRJC and the California Community College Athletic Association of “egregious violations” of women’s rights. It highlights how current policies strip biological women of roster spots, compromise their privacy in locker rooms, and even expose them to physical harm. The athletes point to a 2024 incident when Gomez allegedly concussed a female teammate during practice after spiking a ball at her head, sidelining her for two weeks.
The complaint also details how Gomez was granted full access to the women’s changing room throughout the 2024 and 2025 seasons. While Gomez reportedly did not undress in front of teammates, his repeated presence while women changed created an environment of intimidation and humiliation. When the women voiced concerns to coaches and administrators, they were dismissed and even told not to mention Gomez’s sex or transgender status to their teammates.
By summer 2025, tensions came to a head. The women refused to play at the team’s first scrimmage and later staged a sit-down protest from the bench when Gomez was included on the official roster. For their stand, Madison lost her starting position and eventually quit the team, while Gracie and Brielle were sidelined and silenced.
The complaint urges the Department of Education to step in, arguing that Title IX—meant to protect women’s sports—is being trampled by policies that allow biological males to take opportunities, privacy, and safety away from female athletes. In their words, this fight is bigger than one roster spot—it’s about preserving fairness and dignity for women across California’s colleges.
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