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University of South Alabama freshman Alexa Anderson was one of the top recruits nationally in the track and field women’s pole vault last year, and still found time to take on the facility.
Anderson filed a lawsuit against the Oregon School Activities Association (OSAA) over the summer after walking off the podium to protest a transgender athlete. Anderson’s lawsuit alleges she was told to withdraw from the medalist photoshoot and did not receive her third-place medal.
The lawsuit aims to ensure that Oregon high school athletes are allowed to express their first right to free speech without fear of retaliation from authorities. The lawsuit has already authorized one of OSAA’s strike requests.
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Anderson comes from a family of Democrats, but came to admire Charlie Kirk
Anderson told PK Press Club Digital in a June interview that she comes from a family of Democrats in Oregon. However, she said they also strongly agreed with her stance on protecting women’s sports from trans male athletes. But she herself had her own approach.
“I think whoever I vote for will be whoever aligns most with my personal values, whether they’re Democrat or Republican,” she said of her own alignment.
Then in September, she witnessed the assassination of Charlie Kirk.
“I’ve been following this very closely,” she said. “I think it’s incredibly horrible that a young man was taken from his family, from his children, just for standing up for what he believed in.”
Anderson was inspired by Kirk after watching him lead discussions with women’s sports activist Riley Gaines.
“It was really great to see people with such influence supporting this issue, knowing that people like them support us,” Anderson said.
“I hope he’s proud of what we do, that we stand up for what we believe in, because everything I saw from Charlie Kirk was his message. He always wanted to stand up for what he believed in and pass it on to others and educate them.”
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Growing up, Anderson “idolized” Simone Biles. Now it’s complicated
Before she did the high jump and pole vault, Anderson was a gymnast as a child, and she had the same hero as so many young gymnasts across the United States: Simone Biles.
“I was a gymnast for nine years. I idolized her since 2012 when she really started to become the greatest of all time,” Anderson said.
When asked what Anderson now thinks of Biles, she referenced the gymnast legend’s online feud with Gaines.
“I think she’s an incredible athlete, but I don’t agree with the way she handled this situation. I think it was hateful and hurtful and it’s not a good thing for all the girls who look up to her,” Anderson said.
What bothered Anderson the most was when Biles appeared to “shame” Gaines, when the Olympic legend wrote: “bullying someone your size, which ironically would be a man.”
“When I saw a tweet of her, kind of shaming Riley and saying ‘pick someone your size,’ it really hurt,” Anderson said of Biles.
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She sought refuge in south Alabama after enduring an online hate campaign
Anderson became an overnight sensation in “Save Women’s Sports” circles on social media after she and fellow Oregon female athlete Reese Eckard withdrew from their third and fourth places on the medal podium to protest a trans athlete who finished fifth.
Then came the DMs.
Some were kind and supportive. But others weren’t. And she even responded to some of them.
“When I received one of my first hateful comments, I kind of ignored it. I said, ‘Thank you for sharing your opinion. I respect your opinion. That’s mine and that’s what I stood for,'” Anderson said in June. “I responded to some.”
Anderson had just committed to the University of South Alabama in January and was close to graduating. And when she made the decision to use her platform to protest a trans athlete, she was a 2023 state pole vault champion, a national All-American, 6th in the under-20 class, and ranked eighth in the nation for high school girls’ pole vault in the Class of 2025.
She later revealed that the negative comments escalated to death threats and alleged calls for her school to expel her before graduation, as her story gained momentum.
“There were people calling my school asking that I be expelled and not allowed to walk at graduation,” Anderson said. “There were people sending me personal messages, saying horrible things, even death threats.
“I hope you die,” one message read, she claims, with another reading, “Your parents are definitely embarrassed of you.”
“It really hurts.”
A Tigard High School spokesperson declined to provide further details on the situation to PK Press Club Digital, writing, “We have no comment to share.”
Her commitment to South Alabama earlier this year put her in a setting where she currently feels safe and accepted.
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“Many people have [seen the viral video of the protest] Especially on my track team, a lot of people know what happened, and they’ve all been very supportive and kind to me,” Anderson said.
The South Alabama track and field season is scheduled to begin in late January, as Anderson will compete in Sun Belt Conference competition while moving forward with his trial.
