- Sports Need to Categorise by Sex, not Gender
- Equality for Biologically Female Athletes
Transgender Athletes
Before I get into the trans competition and sport debate, it is important to point out that nothing I say here is against anyones right to choose to live their best life as they see fit. They should be able to do so without prejudice, abuse or harm. We should all have the freedoms to be able to identify and live as we choose.
However, when it comes to sport, it becomes a far more complex subject.
When a man transitions to become a woman, they take with them certain biological male attributes that biological women don’t possess. Men are inherently physically stronger than women. In sport, where strength is often an important factor, this trait provides an ongoing advantage that biological women just can’t compete with.
In recent days we saw Lia Thomas, a trans woman swimmer win her race by 7+ seconds. Interestingly, before transitioning, William Thomas was ranked 462nd in the Mens league rankings. Since transitioning, Lia is now rankings 1st in womens swimming.
STAY IN TOUCH – SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTER AND WE’LL KEEP YOU INFORMED
Is this good for sport? What about the biological women that have trained and worked for years to try to win their swimming class? Now, because Lia has transitioned, those biological women are competing for 2nd place at best.
What happens when more transwomen start competing? We could quite quickly reach a situation where a biological woman can’t get on the podium in a womans race. It is crazy, and unless something is done, it is going to get a lot crazier.
I’m all for being inclusive, but this is another example of positive discrimination favouring an outcome against a whole section of society.
Women are already facing a degree of marginalisation. Not so long ago, it could safely be assumed that women were mothers, women gave birth, women breast fed, menstruated, etc. and it was fair and reasonable to describe people who did those things ‘Women”.
Somewhere along the line, when no one was looking they became people who menstruate, we had a woman with a penis flashing in public. We have a whole legion of changes to terminology all I think to appear to be inclusive and compassionate.
Why don’t we see any trans men competing in sport? Maybe there are loads of them failing to qualify for championships so we never hear about them…… but I bet you £100 there aren’t. Trans athletes only seem to want to compete if they are men transitioning to women.
It is no different to me identifying as an 8 year old just to win the egg and spoon race at a junior school. What is the point? Yes, I would win, but I can’t see much satisfaction in that victory.
I think that sports authorities, the olympic comittee etc. are going to have to make some decisions and introduce new categories in order to be fair and inclusive. It is grossly unfair on hardworking biological women athletes to have to continue to compete against trans athletes with biological advantages.
In the meantime, maybe biological women athletes will have to refuse to compete until the playingfield is level again. Imagine if 7 out of 8 swimmers stayed on their blocks at the start of their race. It would, if nothing else highlight the issue further.
In these interesting times it’s never been more important to stay connected with each other.
Sign up to my email newsletter and I’ll keep you updated with our campaign progress, events, news and more…
Join Email Newsletter
I understand the intent to be inclusive and let transwomen compete. All good and worthy, but in doing so in the way that they have, they have created greater inequality. It seems to be the case that everytime we positively discriminate in favour of one group, we in the same instant, marginalise another group.
We create more division, more anger and unrest, not less. Surely the purpose is to create harmony, peace and an environment where we can all coexist on a fair, level playing field?