Because of concerns
BBC Sport tells us, with a puzzled frown, that female athletes are not always entirely ecstatic to lose prizes to men who pretend to be women.
More than 100 elite British sportswomen have told the BBC they would be uncomfortable with transgender women competing in female categories in their sport.
Or to put it in ordinary language, more than 100 elite British sportswomen have told the BBC they don’t want men competing in their sport. Well duh: of course they don’t. Women’s sport is for women.
Over the past couple of years, a raft of sports have banned transgender women from competing in elite women’s sport because of concerns.
Because they are men. They have the male physical advantage, and they are a danger to women.
Among the concerns from athletes was that having transgender women in female categories was like “going back in time and putting women at the bottom of the pile again”, and that it created an “unfair playing field” and could be “harmful”.
All of which is blindingly obvious.
In a statement to BBC Sport, sports minister Stuart Andrew said: “When it comes to the participation of transgender athletes in competitive sport, I firmly believe that fairness has to be the primary consideration.
“I continue to work closely with sport governing bodies to ensure clear direction is in place that shows compassion to all athletes, whilst protecting the integrity of women’s sport.”
Why is there any need for “compassion” for men who are trying to invade women’s sport? How about saving the compash for women being cheated? The men cheating don’t deserve any compassion.
The men who are cheating are likely caught up in a destructive culture bound syndrome which has evolved skillful methods of convincing them they’re not cheating while pandering to their worst impulses. If they don’t deserve the compassion we give to all athletes, they might deserve the pity we give to wasted potential and self-destruction. What they’re doing, isn’t sports, and isn’t winning.
Over the past couple of years, a raft of sports have banned transgender women from competing in elite women’s sport because of concerns. The language here is 24-carat Orwell. Welcome to 1984; deja vu all over again.
Helps explain the rise and rise of Fox News. I would put it down to the possible presence of 1 or 2 (hundred) trans types having made their way into Beeb’s HQ.
No, I’m pretty sure that the primary consideration ought to be whether a potential competitor fits the definition of the category. It might be a “fair” fight in terms of win percentage for a disabled heavyweight to enter middleweight matches, but it’s still not right. A mediocre man might be reasonable competition for an elite female athlete, but he still has no business in women’s sport. It doesn’t even matter if you literally hobble him so that he can never win-women’s sports are for women, not for men.
Red herrings should not be this persuasive to people.