The
Washington Post did a story recently about the champion and runner-up of the
girls’ 55 meter dash in the state of Connecticut. They were born boys…they are
transitioning their gender to become girls.
In
Connecticut, they are allowed to compete as girls. And there’s the rub. Is it
really fair? I don’t think so.
A quick
search of the Illinois High School Association rules show that the IHSA decides
on a case-by-case basis utilizing medical documents that include hormonal
treatments, sexual reassignment surgery, counseling and discussions with
medical personnel. The IHSA rules and responds in writing.
I think the
key phrase here is “hormonal treatments.”
Look, if
these athletes decide they want to change their gender….it is none of my
business. But when they use their testosterone-laced muscles to annihilate
athletes operating on estrogen….it just isn’t fair. They are bigger,
faster…stronger. It’s biology.
The girl
that got third place in the 55-meter dash is really the champ as far as I’m
concerned. And she thinks so too. She believes it could have cost her
significant scholarship money.
If we are
going to continue down this road….and trust me….we are….then there simply must
be rules that force athletes who were born male to start their hormonal therapy
early enough so they do not have a biological advantage in sport. It’s just
common sense and common fairness.
I do not see
allowing a transgender to compete in athletics as pioneering a new frontier in
civil rights.
In this case, I see it as an unfair advantage.
This is a complex issue and I think it's rather insulting that you feel like it's something you can address in a couple minutes.
ReplyDeleteFor example, if a female-to-male transgender person wanted to compete, is that okay, because they'd be at a innate disadvantage? Then there's the question of forcing hormonal therapy early. I figured as a more conservative person than myself you would have some reservations about state agencies FORCING medical procedures, but when it comes to trans folks wanting to do sports you're okay with it now? And what does it mean for the m2f trans folks who have just realized recently that they wanted to transition? Are they just banned from athletics altogether? Or do you think we should create another category for trans competitors? Do you see how, with just a moment of critical thought, this is already far more complex than the simple picture you're trying to paint? Then there's the fact that the thrust of this "comment" you're making is built around how it's unfair to biological women, almost as if you believe that trans women are cheating biological women out of their rightful victories. They're just trying to compete in the framework that exists. That's not cheating. Would you prefer to segregate them?
Is it a new frontier in civil rights? Who knows? That's not for us to say, man. We're not the ones that are caught up in it. It really feels like you're complaining just to complain. It's like you want to find some aspect of a changing world you don't like and stoke people up about it.