Democrat state lawmaker debates former NCAA volleyball player who forfeited to SJSU team with trans athlete

Arizona state senator Catherine Miranda criticized former Utah women's volleyball captain Kaylie Ray for leading a team forfeit against San Jose State due to a trans athlete in 2024. (Arizona State Legislature)

Arizona state senator Catherine Miranda, a Democrat, has come under scrutiny on social media after an exchange with former NCAA volleyball player and "save women’s sports" activist Kaylie Ray. 

Ray showed up to the Arizona Senate Education committee hearing on Wednesday to lobby for a bill that would protect women's sports from biological males. She spoke from the perspective of a former Utah State captain who led a team forfeit against San Jose State in 2024, in protest of a trans athlete on San Jose State University (SJSU). 

After Ray shared her testimony, Miranda opened her response by commenting on Ray's appearance. 

The Mountain West Conference logo is seen before the championship game of the Mountain West Conference basketball tournament between the Utah State Aggies and the San Diego State Aztecs at the Thomas & Mack Center on March 16, 2019, in Las Vegas, Nevada.   (David Becker/Getty Images)

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

"I have my sports hat on now. It's all about a sports mentality, growing up in sports, being a tomboy. I mean, you look pretty healthy. I've played against girls that look like you. You look very much in shape and strong," Miranda said.

The state senator then argued against Ray's position and the bill by claiming she had competed against men herself in sports, and would compete against men in sports and ended her lecture with the question, "How competitive do you think you really are?"

At no point in Miranda's response did she ever use the word "transgender" or