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Transgender Athletes

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SarahWoo Aug 2019 4:25pm, 15 Aug 2019 9,897 posts	Quote Pin SarahWoo 'Why shouldn't men alter their behaviour to be more accepting of them into the male class of sport.' Whether or not men were prepared to alter their behaviour is irrelevant really, Jovi. I would imagine that most transgender females wouldn't want to compete in a male race. There is no simple solution but I really don't think that making them run in male races is the answer.
♪♫ Egnys ♪♫ Aug 2019 4:27pm, 15 Aug 2019 28,800 posts	Quote Pin ♪♫ Egnys ♪♫ Fetch @22574 - I think that's probably as good a summary in your middle para as we'll see anywhere. My daughter contacted the athlete in question to get some insight into all this and her reply included this: "It is about reflecting who I believe I am, and not at all to gain a competitive advantage. I fully appreciate that my situation might cause concern among some cis women and it is for that reason that I have not entered any other running races, but have instead restricted myself to only doing Parkruns, which are non-competitive. I recognise that it is a very grey area. I'm certainly not looking to gain any advantage but merely enjoy my running, which has always been a large part of my life."
SPR Aug 2019 4:33pm, 15 Aug 2019 28,974 posts	Quote Pin SPR TBF if we want the thread to be a safe space for even transwomen to post, it's not going to be one if they're referred to as men... Jovi - Guess it's the wording, when you said arguably more masculine, it suggested those that you said are offensive have a point. I agree with your point that strongest women couldn't compete with men. I don't agree Jda's premise of people not worrying about competing at local age group level. Re the research review, Joanna Harper was discussed. She essentially says that there's some disadvantages that balance things out. That said the differing advantages and disadvantages can change the way a team sport is played. For running/ cycling you'd think it would be pretty easy to study effects properly.
Trin Aug 2019 4:34pm, 15 Aug 2019 793 posts	Quote Pin Trin Egnys, thank you for sharing that excerpt, and although yes Parkruns are non competitive, when I won my age category in my first 'race' in 5 years after from recovering from ME, even though it was a Parkrun it meant a huge thing to me. However, I guess if I was 2nd in my age cat it would still mean something.
SPR Aug 2019 4:38pm, 15 Aug 2019 28,976 posts	Quote Pin SPR Useful info to add to what started this thread Egnys.
Velociraptor Aug 2019 4:43pm, 15 Aug 2019 42,768 posts	Quote Pin Velociraptor I don't think there has ever been any suggestion that men would have any objection to transwomen participating in sports as men and I'm not sure how men being more inclusive of transwomen would help. But transwomen want to participate in sport, including competitive sport, as women. I do, however, see it as inappropriate and, at best, ill-mannered for men to be telling women at any level of competitive sport that we should do as we're told and welcome transwomen with open arms and that if we question whether this is compatible with maintaining the protected status of women's sport we're being unreasonable.
Velociraptor Aug 2019 4:43pm, 15 Aug 2019 42,769 posts	Quote Pin Velociraptor Egnys, thank you for coming back to us with an update.
Jovi Runner Aug 2019 4:44pm, 15 Aug 2019 6,503 posts	Quote Pin Jovi Runner Thanks Egnys
Jovi Runner Aug 2019 4:48pm, 15 Aug 2019 6,504 posts	Quote Pin Jovi Runner SPR - I hope research will be done but while we are faced with pressure to accept transwoman without the ability to question if they have an advantage I wonder who will do the research? Many women are in fear of voicing their opinion for fear of being labelled as bigots & who I therefore don't think anyone would therefore fund the research?
Velociraptor Aug 2019 4:58pm, 15 Aug 2019 42,770 posts	Quote Pin Velociraptor Jovi, there's a tremendous appetite for research into all aspects of gender reassignment as it's a rapidly developing social and medical area of study and I have no doubt lots of studies will be done. As with many areas, the research may not provide infallible answers and there may always have to be compromises, but I don't doubt that plenty of statistics will be generated and chewed over.