Share and Follow
Brooke Slusser, a former captain of the San Jose State University women’s volleyball team, has faced intense online harassment from left-leaning individuals after initiating a lawsuit concerning her transgender teammate, Blaire Fleming.
Slusser, along with fellow athletes from various teams, has taken legal measures against the California State University Board and the Mountain West Conference. The lawsuit alleges infringements on the First and 14th Amendments, as well as Title IX, which bars sex-based discrimination, following the 2024 uproar involving Fleming.
Fleming, who is transgender, became the focus of significant debate when several opposing teams declined to compete against San Jose State University, citing concerns about Fleming’s biological sex. These forfeits contributed to SJSU securing seven victories and advancing to the playoffs with a 12-6 record.
The legal action also targets SJSU’s head coach and several other individuals, with support from players like Macey Boggs, Sierra Grizzle, and Jordan Sandy from the University of Wyoming.
Since the lawsuit was filed, Slusser, 23, has been subjected to harsh criticism and offensive remarks online from some liberals. She has stated that she shared an apartment with Fleming without knowing Fleming was assigned male at birth.
In an interview with Fox News, she said about the abuse: ‘I would just say people that don’t know my life or my trauma don’t have room to say how good or bad my time at SJSU was. I hope they never have to understand going through something as awful as that.’
Brooke Slusser has opened up on the vile abuse she has received from left-wing trolls online
The women’s volleyball player filed a lawsuit over trans teammate Blaire Fleming (pictured)
The online hate began after Slusser alleged that she had roomed with Fleming without knowing their true sex.
‘You find out you’re just chilling in a bed with a man that you have no idea about… I [was] unknowingly sharing a bed at that time with a man,’ she added.
Slusser has also accused SJSU volleyball coach Todd Kress of encouraging her to live in the apartment with Fleming when another group of players were looking for a final tenant.
In response to her claims, one user posted on X about Slusser: ‘Literally nothing bad happened to her. The trans woman was her friend and is now being vilified for doing nothing.’
Another posted: ‘literally nothing happened to her, she had a positive experience > didn’t even know one of her three flatmates was trans > blames the counselor who suggested living there as one of the options for a good reason – The grifts are just getting worse and worse’.
Former ‘Glee’ actor Kevin McHale, meanwhile, appeared to mock Slusser’s appearance, saying: ‘No upper lip to transphobe right wing grifter pipeline’.
On the other side, several conservative commentators have leapt to her defense, including women’s sports activist Riley Gaines.
‘A man lied about his sex. A college girl was stripped of her ability to consent. When she learned his sex, she said no,’ Gaines wrote on X.
Slusser said she shared a bed with Fleming while unaware her teammate was a biological male
Fleming was at the center of fierce controversy at San Jose State during the 2024 season
She then added about one of the users who suggested ‘nothing bad happened’ to Slusser: ‘People like evan loves worf think the man in this story is the victim (all while claiming to be fierce defenders of women’s rights, mind you).
‘He isn’t the victim. The women whose rights were violated are.’
Ex-ESPN host Sage Steele also weighed in on the controversy by posting: ‘Love ya, @BrookeSlusser… stay strong! Let’s help her hold @SJSU @SanJoseStateVB accountable!!’
Slusser and the women’s volleyball players who took legal action over Fleming were dealt a major blow last week when a judge dismissed all but one of the claims in their lawsuit.
Judge S. Kato Crews threw out the suit against the Mountain West as ‘plaintiffs do not allege that there is currently a transgender athlete playing volleyball’ in the Conference, he wrote in a 38-page opinion.
The claims the women made against the Conference also relied on ‘Section 1983’, which curbs state actors from violating people’s rights. Yet the Mountain West is not a state entity, Crews ruled. He also concluded that it is not subject to Title IX as it doesn’t receive money directly from the federal government.
He added that the women can challenge their own schools in court under Title IX if they feel the way they applied transgender participation policy violated their rights.