Laurel Hubbard is a New Zealand weightlifter. She is the first transgender athlete who will compete at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
This has really made me stop in my tracks today.
I’m all for folks identifying themselves as whatever they please but how is this a level playing field?
And why then is Caster, who was born female hounded for having too much testosterone, yet Laurel is free to compete?
Can of worms I feel.
But I mainly feel for the other women athletes competing in the games.
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physiologically Laurel was not female until recently so it’s just unfair to compete against women.
what’s to stop someone claiming they identify as a child and cleaning up at kids events?
Though I say that... when it comes to sport, I really don't know how to reconcile trans women competing when there appears to be an unequal playing field, with the evident social progress this signals. I understand a woman (as Hubbard is) competing as a woman - fair enough, but surely she recognises she in all probability has a genetic advantage inherently unavailable to the other competitors? After all, for example, she's 43 - 20 years older than the average age of an Olympic weightlifter.
I also want to get ahead of "men who aren't good enough will transition" - no, being trans is far more of an identity than just sport. Also, please don't misgender Hubbard (who goes by she/her).
Also, in the cases of Semenya and Chand - that they're not allowed to compete without suppressing testosterone levels is pretty appalling. Michael Phelps has always been labelled a genetic freak because he has some sort of thing that means he can build up more lactic acid with less pain, or something (not sure exactly what).
Hence men and women compete separately unless in a sport where the physical differences are irrelevant (e.g. equestrian events), weightlifters, boxers and wrestlers all have separate weight classes, Paralympians have a mass of separate categories etc
In this case, I don't think it's fair on the other competitors as Hubbard will still have the benefit of a male physique.
Had to be a bloody weightlifter didn't it? Grist to the reactionary mill. In a way, better if she competes and doesn't win
And I am surprised and delighted to see so many people interested in women's weightlifting. It's not a subject many on CL have shown much interest in, in the past.
Not that I know what the solution is/should be mind you.
I don't think there are enough trans sportspeople for a start. So while this (sport) is an issue I'm less aligned with trans folk on, the rest of your comment is rubbish. What is a "real" woman, in any case? And what about women born without a womb? Etc etc etc
Similarly it appears that Hubbard is only able to complete if her testosterone levels fall within an 'acceptable' range - which it currently does. There are arguments around unfair advantages outside of testosterone levels to do with completing puberty as a male.
I just don't see how this can be safely and consistently reconciled within elite sport where competition is to be 'fair' and 'on a level playing field'. It often isn't in a number of areas - usually to do with available finances or facilities....but this just seems to be a step too far.
I don't know what the answer is - but need to be careful that in trying to accommodate everyone, we end up accommodating noone (or at the most very few).
Carry on everyone