KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Everyone can't say a passion turned into a full-time job, but that's exactly what happened to Harper and Joan Rose when they became the owners of Goofball Sk8boards.
"I get to work at a playground and toy store for all ages," said Harper Rose, the artistic director of Goofball Sk8boards.
Skateboarding isn't just a sport for them. It's also a form of expression the couple doesn't think they can find in many other places.
"There was a time where I thought I'd have to lose sports to be my true self and be happy," said Joan Rose, business director for Goofball Sk8boards.
Joan Rose plays on an intramural water polo team and she also competed in college.
Joan Rose said she understands identifying as transgender means wondering what her teammates will think of her and dealing with limitations.
The most recent example is the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) banning trans women from playing on women's sports teams this week.
NAIA recently became the first major college sports governing body to make this decision.
The organization is headquartered in Kansas City and oversees more than 200 schools, including 10 in the Kansas City area.
"As transgender people in sports, we've seen the writing on the wall," Joan Rose said.
The NAIA's new policy doesn't apply to men's sports.
Under the policy, all students, including trans men and trans women can compete on men's teams.
Transgender men and trans masculine students can compete on women’s teams if they haven’t started masculinizing hormone therapy.
"It's the fear that trans women are just men trying to invade women's spaces," Joan Rose said. "When trans women are just women trying to live their lives."
The NAIA said in a press release:
"We are unwavering in our support of fair competition for our student-athletes. It is crucial that NAIA member institutions, conferences, and student-athletes participate in an environment that is equitable and respectful. With input from our member institutions and the Transgender Task Force, the NAIA’s Council of Presidents has confirmed our path forward."
The collegiate days for the Goofball Sk8board shop owners have been over, but they think of young adults who come in their space every day.
"You're not gonna have folks who stay up at night dreaming of playing in the major leagues because they're being excluded from the collegiate level," Harper Rose said.
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The policy will take effect on Aug. 1. KSHB 41 reached out to a few universities in our area for comment.
Avila University responded:
“Avila will always strive to do everything in our power to create an inclusive, welcoming environment on our campus and in our communities."
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