The war over trans athletes

How a college volleyball player became an unwilling combatant in the national debate.

View in browser|nytimes.com April 26, 2025 On the cover this week: Jason Zengerle writes about a college volleyball player who has been catapulted to the heart of the national debate over trans athletes in women's sports. Preston Gannaway for The New York Times How the War Over Trans Athletes Tore a Volleyball Team Apart Blaire Fleming was a little-known college player. Then she suddenly became a symbol of injustice — to both sides of the controversy. By Jason Zengerle FEATURES Illustration by Viktor Hachmang They Stole a Quarter-Billion in Crypto and Got Caught Within a Month How luxury cars, $500,000 bar tabs and a mysterious kidnapping attempt helped investigators unravel the heist of a lifetime. By Mitch Moxley Illustration by Jon Han My Son Has a Rare Syndrome. So I Turned to the Internet. Social media became a place of both solace and torment. How much was mine to share? By Amanda Hess MORE IN THE MAGAZINE The Interview Isabel Allende Understands How Fear Changes a Society The beloved author left Chile at a time of great turmoil and has longed for the nation of her youth ever since. 40 MIN LISTEN Photo illustration by Celina Pereira Screenland Tiger Woods and Vanessa Trump Make More Sense Together Than You Think The official Instagram announcement ritual felt odd, but the pairing might not be. By Elizabeth Nelson Illustration by Studio Ski Letter of Recommendation When Real Life Calls for a Cheesy Rom-Com Gesture The big boombox moments in Hollywood films are cliché. Yet they can also sustain love in real life. By James Nikopoulos Linda Xiao for The New York Times. Food stylist: Maggie Ruggiero. Prop stylist: Sophia Eleni Pappas The Most Luxurious Use of Eggs, by Way of Japan Chawanmushi, a Japanese half-custard half-flan, treats the humble staples as the lavish ingredients they've always been. By Ligaya Mishan Illustration by Tomi Um The Ethicist My Boyfriend Has a Husband. Should I Tell Him About Us? The magazine's Ethicist columnist on navigating the dynamics of multiple open marriages. By Kwame Anthony Appiah Get your tickets to the Well Festival: Join editors, reporters and other New York Times journalists live in Brooklyn on May 7 for a day focused on health and happiness. Peter Attia, Padma Lakshmi, Robin Arzon, Sara Bareilles, Orna Guralnik, Dan Harris and others will discuss the science and art of living well. Learn more and buy your tickets here. Stay in touch: Like this email? Forward it to a friend and help us grow. Loved a story? Hated it? Write us a letter at magazine@nytimes.com. Did a friend forward this to you? Sign up here to get the magazine newsletter. For narrated versions of our articles and more audio journalism, download New York Times Audio, a new iOS app available for news subscribers. Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for The New York Times Magazine from The New York Times. To stop receiving The New York Times Magazine, unsubscribe. To opt out of other promotional emails from The Times, including those regarding The Athletic, manage your email settings. To opt out of updates and offers sent from The Athletic, submit a request. Subscribe to The TimesGet The New York Times app Connect with us on: Change Your EmailPrivacy PolicyContact UsCalifornia Notices The New York Times Company. 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018