Sports Columnist Resigns After Paper Spikes Piece Featuring Girls Opposed to Boys in Their Sports

Matt Calkins was a sports columnist at The Seattle Times for 11 years. On Thursday, he announced his resignation after the paper declined to run a column he had written from the point of view of two female student-athletes who were opposed to boys in girls' sports. "It was one of several pieces of mine that had been spiked," he says. He claims he has no animosity for the people who work at The Seattle Times, but we do on his behalf.

After 11 years as a sports columnist at the Seattle Times, I have decided to resign. It was entirely my choice, and it was not an easy one. The impetus was the Times declining to run a column I wrote from the perspective of two female student athletes who were opposed to…
— Matt Calkins (@Matt_Calkins) August 20, 2026

… competing against biological males. It was one of several pieces of mine that had been spiked, and I no longer felt like I could properly do my job as a columnist. I lay out the situation in greater detail in the link below, but I want to say that I enjoyed my time with the paper, find the talent there to be immense, and have no animosity toward anyone who works there. It was just time for a change.

This is the way. Good for you. Mainstream journalism in the US is just moonbat propaganda now. Everyone with a soul left should walk.
— AnnaZ (@AnnaZ) August 20, 2026

More people will see this tweet than would’ve ever seen your article, and it will have a deep impact.
— Tim Tribbett DVM (@tntDVM) August 20, 2026

Thank you, Matt. I was one of the female athletes you interviewed, and I truly appreciate the way you treated me. You were fair, listened to my story without judgment, and wanted to share my experience—even when The Seattle Times refused to let it be heard.

The Seattle Times…
— Frances Staudt (@Frances_Staudt) August 20, 2026

… deserves to be called out. It has become a left-wing rag that suppresses stories and viewpoints that challenge its preferred political narrative. Even at 17, I can see eerie similarities to what we’ve learned in history class about communism, censorship, and the control of information.
To think that a 17-year-old female athlete and her story could be considered a threat to a powerful media machine like The Seattle Times shows that we have them against the ropes. We need to keep punching.
I won’t quit, and I’m asking all of you to help deliver the knockout punch this November: Vote YES on Initiative 638.
Thank you, Matt, for having the guts it takes and standing by your principles, refusing to participate in this censorship, and giving female athletes a voice.
Frances Staudt

Good for you taking a stand Matt. If the @seattletimes did their job as an impartial forum of facts and balanced perspective rather than a pulpit for “progressive” talking points that it has become, our region would be better for it. Shame on you @paulbarrett6.
— Spence Needle (@spencerhawes00) August 20, 2026

This refusal to publish counter-leftist views is brought to you by the people claiming to be "saving democracy".
— Randy Boyd - Truth never fears "disinformation" (@ranboy) August 20, 2026

“…and have no animosity toward anyone who works there.”

That’s a huge part of the problem. You have no animosity for those that silence actual reporting and journalism. You should have extreme animosity towards that and them. Just as most of America now does.
— Talon Force (@C0LDSH0T) August 20, 2026

Congratulations on a courageous decision. We need more columnists in sports and in everything to have the spine to stand up and speak up. I suspect there's a bright future ahead for you! All the best!
— Jellenne 🇺🇸🌵🌞 (@Jellenne) August 20, 2026

Amazing. You did the right thing, which most people wouldn’t have done. I pray you meet with the success you deserve. Questioning leftism is not easy in the ideological strait jacket of Seattle. You should be proud of yourself.
— Right Wise Owl (@dlmanch) August 20, 2026

Thank you, Matt. I'm fortunate enough to be involved in athletics for extremely disadvantaged girls and young women. This issue is important and discussion is a must. The cowardice of @seattletimes to address this is shameful. Your courage is inspiring.
— Long Runner 🏃🏼 (@run108k) August 20, 2026

The "nice" staff are all captured and programmed idiots incapable of opposing views. You are way too kind to them.
— That Guy (@lowkeythrills) August 20, 2026

Against, we'll bear that animosity for him. His editors at The Seattle Times are cowards for not letting two high-school girls tell their side of the story.

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