Julia Poe writes about her experiences playing basketball with trans women
Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Aug 14, 2026, 9:30 AM
Last updated Aug 14, 2026

Julia Poe reflects on her experiences with trans people in basketball, emphasizing community and friendship. After moving to Chicago in 2021, she discovered a vibrant queer pickup basketball scene that has enriched her life over the past two years. Poe highlights the joy and inclusivity of playing basketball without the pressures of competition. She argues that discussions around trans inclusion in sports often overlook the humanity of those involved, focusing instead on fear-driven narratives. Poe expresses frustration with the lack of personal engagement in the debate about trans athletes.
- •Julia Poe moved to Chicago in 2021 and found a queer basketball community.
- •She highlights the importance of playing recreationally without high-stakes pressures.
- •Poe expresses concern over the portrayal of trans athletes in public discourse.
- •She emphasizes personal experiences over fear-based narratives.
- •The article discusses how friendships formed through basketball enrich lives.
- 9:30 AMYahoo Sports — Julia Poe: When I think about transgender people in sports, I think about my friends
"CHICAGO — When I think about transgender people in sports, I don’t think about lobbies or legislation. I think about my friends. This is the greatest cognitive dissonance I have experienced over the last few weeks (and, honestly, years) while attempting to follow the debate around trans inclusion in women’s sports. Despite the rabid fixation upon the concept of trans women in sports, those who ...
Sources
External linksOriginal reporting and copyright belong to the linked sources. SportsNewsReport.com aggregates and links — it does not republish full articles.
Related Stories
Last 14 days
NBA•Aug 14, 2026, 11:58 AMGrizzlies offseason recap and early season preview: Boozer leads a fresh start
Basketball•Aug 14, 2026, 11:38 AM“Caitlin Clark Has Enough Going On”: Skip Bayless Calls Out Aliyah Boston For Declaring Kelsey Mitchell MVP Over Fever Superstar
WNBA•Aug 14, 2026, 11:37 AM‘Will break sales records’ – WNBA fans lose it over Caitlin Clark’s new shoes at Fever practice
Basketball•Aug 14, 2026, 10:45 AMPick of the stats: Portsmouth v Queens Park Rangers
WNBA•Aug 14, 2026, 10:40 AMCaitlin Clark’s Injury Status for Pivotal Fever-Wings Game is Revealed
WNBA•Aug 14, 2026, 10:39 AMLeBron James’ inner circle admit an earlier Lakers sale ‘maybe’ would have kept him
