Trans in women's sports, is it fair?

Personally I don’t think it’s fair.

 

It's never been a serious issue in any national sport and never likely will be. Much of the recent anti-trans rhetoric closely mirrors similar fears about other earlier marginalized groups.

Stuff like "they'll go in the wrong bathrooms to perv on girls" is extremely similar to older talking points about gay male couples being pedophiles.

The stuff like J.K. Rowing's book about "trans-women actually being predatory men, trying to lure female victims into a false sense of security by cross-dressing", is heavily reminiscent of older Americans fears that "black men cannot control themselves. Their mere existence is a sexual threat to all white women and girls".

It's all very cyclical. Trans people are just the newest recently out and proud alternative lifestyle that's been living on the down low for many decades. They aren't evil monsters trying to convert others. They just want to be accepted and respected, is that REALLY too much to ask?

Most trans people tend to be very afraid of their surroundings. They suffer extremely high rates of violent attacks and very high suicide rates too. Most trans people aren't going to want to put themselves into an ultra-competetive sporting event where they're regularly judged by othets based on their physical attributes. Most of them are often anxious about just being alone in public in the first place.

I honestly think the sports thing a tempest in a teapot talking point. The idea that a traditional athlete, who prizes their body, would go to the legal and medical extremes necessary to be considered the opposing gender, is just ridiculous. Hormone therapy is hard on the body, it is semi-permenant, and carries serious risks. I highly doubt most athletes would be willing to subject themselves to those permanent changes just to be placed in a division where they have an advantage. Not to mention how EVERY commentator and critic would constantly attribute any/every victory they ever had to their "unnaturally superior physiology". It's like being successful and then winning the lottery, after that every critic will permanently attribute all your success purely to your luck.

There's already been serious problems in multiple Olympic sports where natural born female athletes are being banned from certain sports for having higher than standard testosterone levels. Most Olympic female runners (especially black women) tend to have abnormally high T levels. At a MUCH higher rate than occurs throughout regular society. That's part of how and why they got to the Olympic level in first place. They were naturally hormonaly gifted. Most Olympic athletes are already naturally way beyond normal. They are the best of the best, part of that is their mind-set, dedication, and discipline, and another part of that is often naturally abnormal physiological benefits.

I especially respect trans-women. In my opinion, anyone who's familiar with the misogyny and bigotry common in the US, and had a chance to avoid it all by remaining male, but instead chose to face it all head on by openly living their best life, is incredibly courageous. I think that takes real guts to do. Admittedly, I may be a bit biased, since I have a trans cousin and a couple trans friends. But, as a freedom loving, gun shooting, meat eating, hetero American man, I honestly support the trans movement. I think they get shit on WAY too often by conservatives, and the democrats aren't much better either.

 

For me: Not fair, in any way.
I respect if people feel different - but we always change things because of a small minority wants it. Im for Meeting in the Middle but not this "take all you can"-mentality.
The LGB-Community fought for decades and with great losses just that TQ will cry and scream and destroy it in years. Makes me sad and sometimes angry

 

NO...it's not

 

I've never cared much about competition, so maybe this isn't for me to comment on, but are you anti-doping? If we're talking hormones, every pro-level athlete seems to take drugs to change their physiology.

Since these are people living a valid existence, they deserve a chance to compete if we're still doing this competition thing (call me a commie, but I just don't see what's important about being the best at anything).

There aren't enough trans people for trans leagues. They're (mtf is the only group given an 'unfair advantage') also taking hormones to decrease their testosterone levels.

Mmmm... guess what im wondering is... is this a real problem? How often are trans athletes dominating the podium? If it's common enough to be a real problem, women's sport will be all trans very soon...

My personal thoughts on this that until the podium of women's sports are all trans, the scale of this issue is exaggerated, and the pain and damage that's done by splitting trans and "real women", which is a necessary step in addressing it, is much more important than the ribbon or medal you win.

If we're going to quietly accept that all athletes will do whatever they can, up to and including doping and training at high altitude, to get any advantage, deciding that this is the line feels arbitrary. Like, compare a kid who wants to compete but is poor to a rich kid... some sports are only rich kids because poor kids can't afford to play. That is a much bigger problem, imo, and, if we accept that athletes dope and will do anything to get a competitive advantage... how is this not more of the same?

I think competition is worthless, personally. Look at athletes from the earlier Olympics and you'll see they're just regular people, which was kinda the point. We've changed the way finish lines are measured because of how close people are finishing. I think it's safe to say we've found the limit of human potential... so why does this matter?

Would a poor trans kid taking hormone blockers still beat a rich kid who has a personal trainer and can afford to eat whatever she wants/needs to be in peak condition? Why aren't we talking about the social determinants of sport outcomes rather focusing on the outliers? Im sure there's lines of young girls that would make incredible athletes of they had the resources... and how is that any different?

 

A man is a man & a woman is a woman!! No amount of hacking and tucking will change the fact you'll NEVER be a real woman or man. So NO, Trans people shouldn't be allowed to compete in sports with the real sex.

 

Skirting the issue so to speak

 

Well said!

 

Lol thanks. Each to their own BUT, we need to call a spade for what it is, a spade.

They saying, " a leopard cant change its spots " just like a man cant be a woman!! Halloween 24/7 lol

 

I hear ya and agree with ya

 

I think this is unfair. The male body is more adaptable to physical activity than the female body, so transvestites have an easier time in women's sports.

 

My short answer is "NO"!!!!!!

 

Nope!