MLB Broadcaster Alanna Rizzo Discusses Transgender Athletes in Women’s Sports

MLB broadcaster Alanna Rizzo sat down with OutKick this week for an expansive conversation touching on baseball’s current landscape, the Los Angeles Dodgers, labor negotiations and broader cultural matters. The discussion also ventured into her views on a contentious topic affecting youth and professional athletics.

As a stepmother of two daughters, Rizzo articulated her stance on transgender participation in female sports with measured language that steered clear of partisan rhetoric. She emphasized that individuals deserve the right to live authentically and occupy spaces where they feel secure and heard without fear of judgment.

Rizzo expressed concerns about the physical dimensions of gender integration in women’s athletics, particularly for younger competitors who may lack the experience or strength to defend themselves. Drawing on her own background as a distance runner, she explained her discomfort with male participation in female athletic spaces, noting she would not have welcomed such circumstances during her own competitive years.

She rejected characterizations that her position reflects anti-transgender or homophobic sentiment, clarifying instead that her argument centers on preserving designated spaces for female athletes. Rizzo stressed that protecting women’s athletics should not be viewed as a divisive political issue but rather as a straightforward matter of common sense.

Rizzo commended WNBA forward Sophie Cunningham for publicly voicing concerns about the topic despite potential social backlash. She reiterated her commitment to ensuring her stepdaughters have access to safe athletic environments where they can compete fairly.

Beyond sports, Rizzo founded Guidry’s Guardian Foundation to combat animal abandonment and shelter overcrowding, addressing what she calls an epidemic of pet surrenders and euthanizations across American shelters.