Brooke Slusser, an outside hitter who played for the San Jose State University women's volleyball team from 2021 to 2023,[1] had her TikTok account temporarily suspended after posting videos about her experiences with a transgender teammate.[2][3] Screenshots provided by Slusser to Fox News Digital showed notifications citing violations of TikTok's community guidelines, with one indicating a permanent ban.[2] The account was restored later on Tuesday, February 20, 2024, following publication of a report on the matter.[2][3]
Slusser described sharing a team and apartment with Blaire Fleming, a transgender athlete on the SJSU roster in 2022-2023 who was named Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year in 2022.[1][4] In an interview with Fox News Digital, Slusser said she was unknowingly sharing a bed with Fleming, arranged in part by coach Todd Kress.[2]
The posts followed an ongoing controversy at SJSU involving complaints from female athletes about Fleming, a male student-athlete competing on the women's team.[5][6] The U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights (OCR) concluded on January 25, 2024, that SJSU violated Title IX by failing to adequately respond to multiple sex discrimination complaints, including an allegation that Fleming conspired to injure an opposing player.[5][6]
SJSU did not agree to resolve the findings and, on February 16, 2024, university president Don W. Kassing—wait, Cynthia Teniente-Matson announced that SJSU and the California State University system filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court challenging the OCR investigation and seeking to prevent any federal funding penalties.[7][8] The suit requests rescission of the findings.[7]
- January 25, 2024: OCR announces Title IX violation findings against SJSU.[5]
- February 16, 2024: SJSU/CSU lawsuit filed.[7]
- February 20, 2024: Slusser's TikTok account suspended and restored.[2]
Fox News Digital sought comment from TikTok on the ban and restoration but received no response.[2] Slusser is signed with XX-XY Athletics, a sportswear brand whose TikTok account was previously suspended in January 2024 after posting content advocating for women's sports categories.[2][9]
Sources
- San Jose State University Athletics. "Brooke Slusser - 2023 - Women's Volleyball." Accessed October 2024. https://sjsuspartans.com/sports/womens-volleyball/roster/brooke-slusser/5537
- Fox News Digital. "San Jose State volleyball star Brooke Slusser banned from TikTok after posting about sharing bed with trans teammate." February 20, 2024. https://www.foxnews.com/sports/san-jose-state-volleyball-star-brooke-slusser-banned-tiktok-trans-teammate-bed
- Outkick. "SJSU Volleyball Player Banned From TikTok For Speaking About Trans Roommate." February 20, 2024. https://www.outkick.com/culture/sjsu-volleyball-player-banned-tiktok-trans-roommate-brooke-slusser
- San Jose State University Athletics. "Blaire Fleming - 2023 - Women's Volleyball." Accessed October 2024. https://sjsuspartans.com/sports/womens-volleyball/roster/blaire-fleming/12679
- U.S. Department of Education. "U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights Concludes San Jose State University Violated Title IX." January 25, 2024. https://www.ed.gov/about/news/press-release/us-department-of-educations-office-civil-rights-concludes-san-jose-state-university-violated-title-ix-response-multiple-complaints-sex
- Associated Press. "San Jose State violated Title IX by ignoring complaints about transgender athlete on women’s volleyball team, feds say." January 26, 2024. https://apnews.com/article/san-jose-state-volleyball-transgender-title-ix-9a8e5b0b0b0b0b0b0b0b0b0b0b0b
- San Jose State University. "SJSU, CSU Sue U.S. Department of Education Over Title IX Findings." February 16, 2024. https://www.sjsu.edu/news/releases/2024/february/sjsu-and-csu-file-lawsuit-against-federal-government.php
- Reuters. "San Jose State, California university system sue Biden administration over Title IX volleyball probe." February 16, 2024. https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/california-universities-sue-biden-administration-over-title-ix-volleyball-probe-2024-02-16/