Seeking to balance inclusivity
NBC reported, confusedly, on the decision by British Rowing that has Peter Tatchell so distraught.
British Rowing has banned transgender athletes from competing in elite female races, but has created three different categories that allow transgender participation, with the policy set to come into effect on Sept. 11, the sports body said on Thursday.
British Rowing said only athletes who are “assigned female at birth” will be eligible to compete in its women’s competitions and represent Britain or England in international events.
Apart from the women’s category, all athletes will be eligible to compete in an ‘open’ category, while a ‘mixed’ category can be offered by organizers if 50% of crew are eligible from the women’s category.
Transgender rights have become a major talking point in recent months as sports seek to balance inclusivity while ensuring there is no unfair advantage.
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“British Rowing is committed to promoting an environment in which rowing is accessible and inclusive and to ensuring that we provide opportunities and enjoyment for everyone,” the organization said in a statement.”
It can’t be inclusive at all times though. Competitions can’t be inclusive. The whole point of competitions is that some people win and others lose. Some people aren’t even qualified to compete. That’s just how it works. You can’t “balance inclusivity while ensuring there is no unfair advantage” because it’s unfair to include everyone.
I doubt that’s correct. Trans men are welcome, or ought to be welcome, in the female division until they start taking testosterone.
Gahdammit. Even when taking a stand on the right side, they insist on using the language devised by trans activists to frame the issue in their favour. An equivalent to this would be a discussion of abortion in which the choice side accepts the term ‘murder’ to refer to abortion. Half the game is given away by doing so.
I wonder if articles using this “assigned male at birth” etc will start to get more attention. I can’t imagine anyone outside those deeply immersed in the trans “community” (read: ideology) will see that as anything but ridiculous. Most people are aware that children are observed at birth, and their sex noted not as a doctor’s whim, but as a consequence of characteristics easily observed in most children.
Emotional blackmail using word games. Just as “inclusivity” is not necessarily good, “discrimination” is not always bad. Discrimination is choosing. Choosing a winner distinguishes the winner from all those who did not win, discriminating against them specifically, by design. Even before any official competition, a whole bunch of would-be competitors are removed because they are not good enough to participate. At all. Everybody knows this is how sport works.
Note that the only “inclusivity” trans activists are interested in is that which lets men compete against women in the women’s division. Are they interested in “including” children into adult leagues? No. Do they want to include athletes not good enough to make the cut? No. Do they want to include men not claiming to be “trans” into the women’s division? No. So all the bleating about “inclusivity” is for trans identified males and TiMs alone, so they can beat women and take women’s prizes. They want a special dispensation, a
papalsporting indulgence that lets them officially cheat, as much as they want. Specifically, they want to cheat and win. They don’t want anyone else to benefit from the supposed openness and inclusivity they’re demanding for themselves.[…] a comment by Your Name’s not Bruce? on Seeking to balance […]