Prominent female athletes, journalists, and a conservative lawmaker have sharply criticized The New York Times for its recent article referring to women as "non-transgender women."

The terminology sparked outrage online, with critics arguing that the term diminishes biological women and erodes their identity.

Tennis legend Martina Navratilova took to social media on Friday to express her frustration with the language used in the piece. “NYT- you stink. We are women, NOT TRANSGENDER WOMEN. Just WOMEN will do in the future,” Navratilova wrote.

The Times article, published Thursday, explored the internal conflict within the San Jose State University women’s volleyball team as it navigates the inclusion of a transgender female athlete in upcoming tournament games.

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The situation has caused division both within the team and among other teams in the league.

The report noted that earlier this month, a senior co-captain of the Spartans and the assistant coach filed a lawsuit to prevent the transgender athlete from participating in the Mountain West Conference tournament.

The lawsuit claims the athlete’s participation violates Title IX, which guarantees gender equity in federally funded institutions.

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The co-captain was joined by 10 female volleyball players, most from opposing teams, in the legal effort.

The Times described the team dynamics as a “complicated mess,” noting that tensions have fractured relationships among teammates and even between players and the head coach, who supports the transgender athlete.

In addressing the broader debate over transgender athletes in women’s sports, Times reporter Juliet Macur used the term "non-transgender women" to describe biological women.

She also referred to them as “athletes assigned female at birth.”

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The use of such terms ignited backlash from various quarters. British Olympian and activist Sharron Davies criticized the language in a social media post, writing, “Written in the NYT … women are now Non-transgender women! Just wow! How anyone can say this isn’t a men’s rights movement I’ll never know, whilst women lose their rights, their words, their safeguards, their sports, their sex discrimination laws… I will never understand.”

The anti-trans activism account “WomenAreReal” also criticized the outlet, stating, “Hey @nytimes Don’t call us ‘non-transgender women.’ Just stop it. Stop all the offensive terms for us.” The account listed other terms often used by activists, such as “birthing parent,” “menstruator,” and “uterus haver,” before concluding, “We are WOMEN!”

Journalist Tiffany Wong mocked the terminology, posting, “LMAO, New York Times is calling normal, sane women ‘non-transgender women.’”

Conservative journalist Andy Ngo commented on the language, stating, “In woke ideology, there are only transgender women and non-transgender women.”

Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., also criticized The Times, writing, “The New York Times, everybody, where women are defined as ‘non-transgender women.’ What bs. #HoldTheLine.”

The Times article and the ensuing backlash reflect the broader cultural and political debate over the inclusion of transgender athletes in women’s sports.

Critics argue that language like “non-transgender women” marginalizes biological women, undermining their rights and protections under laws like Title IX.

The controversy has added fuel to the ongoing discussion about fairness, equity, and the language used to define women in the context of sports and society.

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