By many in the field
Another brave courageous indomitable fierce proud man invades women’s sport.
Hundreds of female golfers have complained about the participation of Scottish-born transgender player Hailey Davidson in the penultimate stage of the LPGA Tour’s qualifying competition.
Gets it wrong the way they always do. If even the Telegraph refuses to get it right what hope is there?
The issue is not that Davidson is “transgender”; the issue is that he’s a MAN.
Davidson, a 31-year-old professional originally from Ayrshire but now based in Florida, has said that the intention is “to make Scotland proud” by earning a card on the women’s premier circuit.
Second para and still doing it. “the intention” ffs – HIS intention.
Newspapers and tv and radio news need to make it clear from the very first words that the subject is a man shoving his way into a women’s sport. They need to do the opposite of carefully hiding that fact until late in the story.
But after progressing through August’s first stage of Q-School , the former player on a US male college team was accused of acting “unfairly”…
Yet again. “the former player on a US male college team” – talk about circumlocution!
He’s a male. News outlets should be saying that up front.
…with Amy Olson, a two-time major runner-up, railing against Davidson being allowed to compete. “These women have worked too hard and too long to have to stand by and watch a man compete for and take their spot,” she said.
Finally the Telegraph allows it to be said, by someone else. It does however compensate by sneering at the woman with “railing.”
It has now emerged that this view was held by many in the field, with the International Women’s Forum revealing that 275 signed a letter sent to the LPGA, the US Golf Association and the International Golf Federation, urging Davidson’s removal from the tournament.
But the Telegraph is too chickenshit to say it up front.
“We all know there can be no equal athletic opportunity for women without a separate female golf category,” the letter, as reported by sports website OutKick, read. “Yet, the Ladies Professional Golf Association continues to propagate a policy that allows male athletes to qualify, compete and win in women’s golf, even as several national and international governing bodies of sport and state legislatures increasingly reject these unjust and inequitable policies that harm female athletes.
“LPGA policy does not explicitly state eligibility based on sex. It is essential for the integrity and fairness of women’s golf to have a clear and consistent participation policy in place based on a player’s immutable sex. There are differences between the sexes – female and male – that specifically affect our sport of golf.”
The letter goes into detail on the differences. Davidson responds with sympathy and understanding.
Joke.
Davidson, who almost qualified for the US Women’s Open in June, has remained unapologetic and instead lashed out at the detractors. “I will never understand athletes who blame a transgender competitor on their own athletic failures,” Davidson wrote on Instagram. “If you don’t take accountability for your failures then you will never actually be good enough to make it.”
How absolutely fucking breathtaking is that?
Well, at least they said he “lashed out” at the detractors. They could have reported that “she responded with a heartbroken sigh while looking wistfully off into the distance.”
And they quoted the letter, instead of summing it up inadequately and moving on.
Oh, the irony, coming from a mediocre male golfer.
As for him being a mediocre golfer, here is his bio from Christopher Newport University, a Division 2 school.
Admittedly I’m not an expert in golf, but that doesn’t seem terribly impressive. But, “Hopes to play professional golf one day.” So kudos for reaching his dream, I guess. Too bad he had to cheat to make it.
Holy bad writing, Batman! He says they ‘blame a transgender competitor on their own athletic failures’. They do nothing of the sort. They blame a transgender competitor for their own failures. His university should hang its head that he is a graduate.
As for the media. Every report of a ‘transgender athlete’ should be required to include a clip of Austin Powers. “that’s a man, baby!” Then include it again at the end in case someone forgot.
+4 isn’t good at all, it’s slightly better than my typical mini golf score.