Transgender Wrestler Mack Beggs Wins Class 6A Girls' State Championship in Texas

Mack Beggs, a transgender wrestler who identifies as male, took home a Texas Class 6A girls' state wrestling title Saturday, according to the Washington Post's Kent Babb. 

Beggs' individual triumph came in the 110-pound weight class, per the Star-Telegram's Jeff Caplan, and his effort played a part in helping the Euless Trinity High School girls wrestling team to a second-place finish overall. 

"I wouldn’t be here today if it weren't for my teammates. That’s honestly what the spotlight should have been ...my teammates," Beggs said, per Caplan. "The hard work that I put in in the practice room with them beside me—we trained hard every single day. ... That’s where the spotlight should have been on. Not me. All of these guys. Because I would not be here without them. Hard work ethic pays off."

However, Beggs' landmark day was not without controversy. 

According to the Tribune Media Wire (via Fox 8), parents of girls slated to compete against Beggs filed a lawsuit earlier in the month to have him moved to the boys division. 

Despite the legal action, Beggs was allowed to participate in the girls championships in accordance with University Interscholastic League rules that state students compete based on the gender listed on their birth certificate. 

"Nothing that has happened at this year's wrestling championships has the UIL reconsidering its rules, because quite frankly, we don't believe that any issues being reported on are really a product of UIL rules," UIL deputy director Jamey Harrison said, per the Associated Press (via ESPN.com).