Transgender Swimmer - should she be allowed to compete

[Liverpoolphil]

https://www.swimmingworldmagazine.c...-must-not-compete-against-biological-females/

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1494665841052459019

A transgender Female is currently breaking all the records in swimming

It’s a debate that’s been bubbling for a while without it hitting main stream

The current trajectory that Lia is on would see her smash all the female World Records

So the question is should it be allowed or should they compete with other transgenders ?

 

[Old Colner]

I personally think this perfectly proves the point that it's actually unfair on the other competitors, a full seven seconds clear.

 

[Beezerk]

It’s a big fat no for me, apologies for my bluntness but that’s a man in a woman’s swimming costume.

 

[fundy]

 

[pauljames87]

I'm sure Elaine poulter would win a few majors

 

[Orikoru]

It's a no from me. I still think it beggars belief that this is allowed to happen in multiple sports. Transgender people should be given every bit of support they need in life, of course, but to let them compete against cisgender female athletes is just patently unfair for biological reasons. It really needs to be looked at. It feels like sports governing bodies are too afraid of offending certain communities to actually do the right thing here.

 

[Robster59]

No. This is totally unfair on those who have been born as female. Have a look at the athletics world records that are still held by Eastern European athletes before more diligent drug testing came in.
If they want to do something, then set up a separate transgender class.

 

[Neilds]

I think people should be careful about how they answer this question. Will leave you open to claims of transphobia, sexism, etc and lead to you being cancelled - just refer to JK Rowling

 

[Rooter]

The story has been doing the rounds on my socials timeline for some time. I think the important factors are around the fact they went through puberty as a man, this dictates a lot in terms of muscle, etc for the future. I don't confess to being an expert on the subject, but I am firmly in the not fair on the female from birth athletes, not fair at all. All of the training they have done for years to then get beaten by someone with a massive genetic advantage.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Big no for me. Beezerk nailed it for me

 

[Beezerk]

I would love the know his/her genuine reason for becoming transgender. Is it something he wrestled with for years as a boy or is it purely for sporting achievement 🤔

 

[Liverpoolphil]

I would love the know his/her genuine reason for becoming transgender. Is it something he wrestled with for years as a boy or is it purely for sporting achievement 🤔

Now that’s an interesting question

I would suspect that most people go through gender change because of deep feelings they have had for years

But are we going to get to stage where people look to gender reassign to help with their future - for example a decent male golfer changes gender and then becomes a top female golfer and the riches associated ?

 

[Orikoru]

I would love the know his/her genuine reason for becoming transgender. Is it something he wrestled with for years as a boy or is it purely for sporting achievement 🤔

I still find it hard to believe any bloke would have the chop as it were just to win at swimming. That would be seriously extreme.

 

[Orikoru]

Now that’s an interesting question

I would suspect that most people go through gender change because of deep feelings they have had for years

But are we going to get to stage where people look to gender reassign to help with their future - for example a decent male golfer changes gender and then becomes a top female golfer and the riches associated ?

I honestly think you'd have to have a serious mental illness to get reassigned for that reason alone. That would be insane. Although if it did happen, I suppose we would never know for sure if they didn't admit it. I just can't believe that it would happen really.

 

[Beezerk]

I still find it hard to believe any bloke would have the chop as it were just to win at swimming. That would be seriously extreme.

Yeah I know, it would be absolutely insane…but some people are…

 

[GB72]

I honestly think you'd have to have a serious mental illness to get reassigned for that reason alone. That would be insane. Although if it did happen, I suppose we would never know for sure if they didn't admit it. I just can't believe that it would happen really.

I guess nothing is out of the question when it comes to the subject of becoming rich and famous. Hell, it even happened in an episode of Futurama

This will always be a hot topic and once that will only cause hatred and confrontation. The thing is, there is a really simple answer, just add event cataegories for transgender competititors, one for male to female and one for female to male. Works for most olympic type events. Team sports and matters such as golf with separate male and female tours are more of an issue.

 

[Ethan]

I doubt that he/she had their surgery just to get an advantage in swimming, but they have clearly gained an enormous advantage. BBC More or Less, which deals with stats and data in the news, did a recent episode and cited good data that shows a significant benefit is carried over in male to female transgender changes in strength and power sports.

 

[saving_par]

Return to the 70's and 80's when the East Germans and Russians entered blokes in the female swimming events at the Olympics.

The advantage she has could soon be lost if some unscrupulous Nations decide to go down that doping route again.

 

[IanM]

My cousin's daughter is doing a Sports Degree at Durham and writing a paper about this. It throws up lots of issues., looking forward to reading it! There won't be one uniform reason, outcome or answer to this.

Where an event becomes a forgone conclusion, especially due to "non sporting circumstances" people will cease to participate or watch....or sponsor.

When Tiger was unbeatable, it got the rest of them in the gym, working harder to close the gap. But, there's little female swimmers could do to catch up in this case.

The only thing to be damaged will be womens' sport.

I think were someone genuinely wants to change gender, that's a massive decision, and their call. I can't even begin to fully understand it. Would someone do this for the cash and fame only? Only they'd know that for sure.

I abstain from this vote, I'm not qualified to answer.

 

[Rooter]

The graphic showed 462 in mens swimming Vs 1 in womans. Are these world numbers?

462nd in the world at anything puts you in the top 0.0001% (Or whatever the maths is), the point is, that's blooming good at what you do! He would have trained his balls off (quite literally in this case) to get there, maybe now it's win at all costs?