Trans Athletes and a threat to Women's sports | Wokeism#12

On 23rd March 2023, The World Athletics Council excluded ‘trans women’ (born as a male, identifies to be a female) from competing in the female category at international events, which will be applicable from 31st March 2023. Under previous rules, these males at birth athletes had to reduce their blood testosterone (a hormone produced in male bodies which helps develops male physical and sexual characteristics) to a certain level for a continuous period of 12 months. The president of the above organization, Lord Coe clarified that the exclusion is not forever and a working group will be set up for 12 months to further consider the issue of transgender inclusion.

 

 

 

The earliest case of a transgender woman competing in the female category was in the 1970s, when tennis player Renee Richards, who was born as a male, underwent a sex change operation to become female and started competing in ladies' tournaments. The decision taken by the World Athletics Council is not a first of a kind. In June 2022, FINA – the world governing body of swimming – stopped transgender women from competing in the women’s category. FINA took a decision based on a scientific report which said that person born as male retained a relative performance advantage over biological females. In 2020, World Rugby became the first international sports federation to stop a transgender woman from competing in the women’s championship citing safety and performance advantage reasons. However, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in its framework released in November 2021 took a different view and stated that one should not assume that transgender women have an unfair advantage in female sporting events and individual federations have the responsibility to determine eligibility criteria in the respective sport.

 

Also Read: What is Body Positivity?| Wokeism#11 

 

Consider this. Last year in March 2022, Lia Thomas (born William Thomas) won the gold medal in the national intercollegiate swimming competition (highest level in the USA) in the women’s 500-yard freestyle event. Soon after his (he is a biological male) victory, Lia became a topic of wide debate in the US regarding the unfair advantage he had over his female competitors. If you see the video of the race on YouTube, you can find out how fast he was compared to other females due to his male physical structure and stamina. The other examples of trans women in female categories are weightlifter Laurel Hubbard from New Zealand, who competed at the Tokyo Olympics, and British cyclist Emily Bridges who have been successful in their respective sports competing in female categories despite being a biological male.

 

Also Read: What are Gender pronouns in the Woke world?| Wokeism#10 

 

The issue of whether transgender women should be banned from female competitions has been regarded as one of the most sensitive issues in sports over the last few years. When emotions overpower facts, any action against sensitivity is regarded as bigotry/injustice and in these cases, transphobia. The scientific evidence proves, even with a reduction in testosterone levels and hormonal therapy, male-to-female transgender athletes retain physical advantages in their bodies which essentially makes it unfair for other women competing with them in their respective sports. These male-to-female athletes have advantages in strength as well as stamina.

 

Also Read: What is Gender-affirming surgery? Wokeism#9 

 

These decisions in the name of diversity and inclusion have been imposed on biological female athletes who start competing knowing that they are at disadvantage. The opinions of the female athletes who suffer from this unfairness have never been taken into consideration due to such authoritarian rules imposed on them. It is a surprise to see the stoic silence of the Feminism movement regarding the entry of biological males in female competitions. It is pertinent to note that the decision taken by the World Athletic Council has not banned transgender women from sports, they have just been excluded from the category that they don’t qualify for or don’t belong to. This is not discrimination. It is differentiation or categorization. It is heartening to note that this decision has made sure that common sense and science still exist despite the emotional calls for diversity and inclusiveness being forcibly fed by a few people into the minds of others.