Siding with the men
Well of course he does.
Just sit down and shut up, Peter. You’re not the boss of women. You don’t get to tell women it’s tough shit when some man decides to invade their sport and destroy their chances. It’s obviously unfair and we shouldn’t have to see you gloating about it like the woman-hating pig you are. Just sit down.
What is his defense though? That males, sufficiently handicapped, qualify as women? He uses the term “non-trans women” as if there are any other kind, which is merely a backhanded way of saying TWAW. At least he didn’t say “cis.” Tatchell is absolutely steeped in this garbage.
Shall we try that again, only this time without the use of the Reality-Be-Gone®️ filter?
Since he transitioned, he’s lost very little energy and strength so retains most of his male advantage. His body shape & size imay be similar to those of some women but this detail is irrelevant because he’s still a man and therefore has no place in women’s sport.
Something a female athlete said stuck with me (though not her name, unfortunately) — that being an athlete meant stretching your body’s capacities to its limit. Yet the training, the discipline, the blood, sweat, and tears of constant exercise and diet all focusing on improvement so the athlete can wholeheartedly play to win is completely at odds with “I’ve finally managed to weaken my body and hobble what I’m actually capable of, so let me in. And oh, yeah — I play to win, like everyone else.”
It’s backwards, a slap at the very concept of athletic achievement itself.
Plus, he’s 51! of course he’s weakened.
Sastra @ 4
I recall a number of trans advocates making very similar points to yours, and advocating against any sort of hormone level or surgery requirements for male athletes competing in the women’s division. (Well, they didn’t phrase it that way.) If memory serves, I saw comments by and/or about Rhys McKinnon and Caster Semenya, and others.