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Transgender athletes

Da Coach

Da Coach

Moderator
Staff member
Interesting article from Sports Illustrated about transgender athletes, and where they might fit into today's sports-
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1198744/index.htm

It seem that we are making accommodations and welcoming such transgender athletes, but I strongly suspect there will be a few cases that get a lot of criticism from even those who advocate strongly for the transgender athletes. What will happen if a male transitions to a female and becomes dominant in their new sport? I do not think it will be accepted by most.
 
I'd consider myself, as a social libertarian, a bit liberal (for Peoria way to the left) and I believe if you go in this direction it is your right but you should forfeit certain other rights and competing in a physical competition should be unquestionably one. They could create their own league if they feel compelled.
 
SFP said:
I'd consider myself, as a social libertarian, a bit liberal (for Peoria way to the left) and I believe if you go in this direction it is your right but you should forfeit certain other rights and competing in a physical competition should be unquestionably one. They could create their own league if they feel compelled.
Click to expand...

The article mainly focuses on one athlete- born Kelly Godsey- who was born a female, and has been a successful female track and field athlete her entire life (Division III All American 16 times in 4 different events). But in college, she "came out" as transgendered, and declared she wanted to live as a male. She changed her name to Keelin Godsey, and began to live life as a male, and now looks very much like a male. Godsey now lives with "his" female fiance. However, he chose to continue competing as a female, where he excels and is a strong candidate to make the US Olympic women's team.

The article lists a number of other high profile cases where athletes were transgender and chose to quit competing against their former sex, and switch to competing against their newly assigned sex. In every such case, it involves men who decide to switch to being a woman, and then compete against other women, because it is obviously easier. There are cases involving tennis, golf, soccer, and basketball.
But the Keelin Godsey case poses some serious concerns. As my mother used to say, "You can't have it both ways".
If an athlete decides to switch genders, they should not be allowed to pick and choose which sex they compete against, based not on the sex they are transitioning to, but solely based on what they would be most successful at.

The NCAA will have to decide how to deal with confusing cases like this, especially when the inevitable case arises where an athlete born male decides to switch to female and wants to compete as a female. It is just a matter of time before this happens. The article also briefly mentions a 7'1" former Central Michigan basketball player who played college basketball as a male, but is now transitioning to female. Drew Walker, now known as Lindsey Walker is considering completing the gender switch, then possible trying out for the 2016 Olympics as a woman. At 7'1", she might have a slightly unfair advantage.
 
It's a sad indictment of how far our society and common sense has fallen when something so blatantly obvious to most people can't be regulated effectively due to today's standards of political correctness that is being mandated by fringe radical groups.
 
Interesting article. I suppose I could look up bylaws and whatnot (its too late in the evening to be that inquisitive), but I'm not sure how sex is determined for the purposes of the NCAA, or whichever body is relevant - but if they fit the bill for their preferred category, let em play.
 
ChewaBrave said:
Interesting article. I suppose I could look up bylaws and whatnot (its too late in the evening to be that inquisitive), but I'm not sure how sex is determined for the purposes of the NCAA, or whichever body is relevant - but if they fit the bill for their preferred category, let em play.
Click to expand...

Here is what is said in that SI article about the NCAA-

In 2004 the International Olympic Committee ventured the first answer, ruling that any trans athlete who wants to compete against those not of their birth sex must undergo sex reassignment surgery and then two years of hormone therapy??”either testosterone supplementation (to go from female to male) or testosterone suppression (to go from male to female). But last August the NCAA, which had previously deferred to government-issued documentation for gender classification, released a 38-page handbook that took a different approach. Guided by a think tank held with the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) in '09, the organization decided against requiring surgeries, which typically cost five figures and aren't covered by insurance. Genitalia, the NCAA concluded, do not impact athletic performance.

In a further departure from the IOC rules, NCAA guidelines stipulate that trans females need to undergo only one year of testosterone suppression before they can compete against women; trans males can receive a medical exemption to take testosterone under a doctor's supervision but can no longer compete on a women's team.

Following the NCAA's lead, a handful of colleges have created their own transgender inclusion policies. Bates was among the first, in April 2011. This year major-conference schools such as Cal and Syracuse have done the same...

In the matters of toilets, changing areas and showers, NCAA guidelines recommend that athletes be allowed to use whatever fits their gender identity (and that, before away games, school officials consult the athlete and then confidentially notify the host school to ensure "access to facilities that are comfortable and safe").
 
SFP said:
I'd consider myself, as a social libertarian, a bit liberal (for Peoria way to the left) and I believe if you go in this direction it is your right but you should forfeit certain other rights and competing in a physical competition should be unquestionably one. They could create their own league if they feel compelled.
Click to expand...

I for one wouldn't pay a penny to go watch them perform. I'd wait for the real circus to come to town.
 
Chico said:
I for one wouldn't pay a penny to go watch them perform. I'd wait for the real circus to come to town.
Click to expand...

The Bradleyfans sensitivity monitors have ruled that this statement crosses the line and is insensitive to transgendered people who already suffer greatly with being placed in the wrong body. :)

I believe we will require Chico to undergo our 42 week sensitivity training course, and then release him with a sensitivity TASER device attached to his genitals.
 
Da Coach said:
The Bradleyfans sensitivity monitors have ruled that this statement crosses the line and is insensitive to transgendered people who already suffer greatly with being placed in the wrong body. :)

I believe we will require Chico to undergo our 42 week sensitivity training course, and then release him with a sensitivity TASER device attached to his genitals.
Click to expand...

LMAO and at Chico's comment! :razz:
 
ok- here's a dilemma... interesting topic

In Texas, they have High School GIRLS Wrestling and their state tournament is underway...

so- is this fair??

A wrestler who was born a girl but who is now a "transgender boy" (he IS taking testosterone for the process of makign him "masculine")
But, since he was born a girl, he wrestles in the girls tournament (probably wouldn't go nearly so far if he wrestled in the boys tournament - wouldn't ya think?)

Well, she/he wins over his girl opponent...creating a little of a "conflict" ..and claims that it's "cheating"
"Mack Beggs" is now 53-0 wrestling against girls... seems a little fishy to me...but I have yet to hear anyone who has a solution to this.
If you allow this same student to wrestle against boys, I guarantee he wouldn't be 53-0 and possibly might be 0-53, and then he'd be the one complaining it's not fair.
http://abcnews.go.com/Sports/wireStory/transgender-boy-wins-round-girls-tournament-45718165


Here's a picture of Mack Beggs who is wrestling as a girl
http://dfw.cbslocal.com/2017/02/24/transgender-boy-in-texas-wins-in-1st-round-of-girls-tournament/

mack-beggs.jpg
 
So Question: If they ban athletes for taking substances that enhance their performance then should she/he be banned for taking testosterone?
 
do you want the most obvious, common sense, fair and right answer...
or do you want the politically correct answer that will please a small but very loud-mouthed voting constituency?
 
"Mack Beggs" is now 53-0 wrestling against girls
Click to expand...

Mack has now gone on to win the state championship, and was undefeated at 56-0
None of the matches were even close winning the championship bout 12-2.

Mack's statement to the press was...(remember, Mack wrestles ON A GIRLS WRESTLING TEAM)

"The hard work that I put in...every single day....is where the spotlight should have been on ...
ALL OF THESE GUYS... I would not be here without them"

Mack also would not have been there without the testosterone he was taking but he chose not to give thanks to that ;)

wonder if they will allow guys in wheelchairs to "run" in marathons..?
Seems only fair - after all there were also proponents who wanted to allow guys with springs on their feet to compete against people who don't have them
...but wheelchair marathoners can cover 26 miles in about half the time as people who actually have to run using their legs..
http://boston.cbslocal.com/2012/04/...ld-record-in-boston-marathon-wheelchair-race/
 
anyone remember when some guy named Richard Raskind simply began dressing as woman and they allowed him to compete as a woman in pro tennis?

Even tho he wasn't even a good enough male tennis player to even beat old men at his own downtown tennis club - nevertheless - as a woman, he actually was able to compete at a high enough level to challenge the top women's tennis players in the world.
He, like Bobby Riggs, would not have even been ranked within the TOP 10,000,000 men but was capable of beating the top women when allowed to play against women, even when competing at age 47 against women in their prime - he rose to as high as #20 in the world rankings!
Oddly - despite that career- Raskind (Richards) actually said later..
"... her past as a man provided her with advantages over her competitors, saying ???Having lived for the past 30 years, I know if I??™d had surgery at the age of 22, and then at 24 went on the tour, no genetic woman in the world would have been able to come close to me. And so I??™ve reconsidered my opinion. (on whether it was truly fair for her to compete against women who did not have the advantage of being a man)."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renée_Richards
 
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