I support the alphabet rights.
I don't support girls losing in sports due to an unfair and undeniable biological advantage afforded to transgender athletes.
A person can hold both of those opinions and not be in conflict.
@Blair Kiel posted:I support the alphabet rights.
Love the nickname! It's hard to keep track of all those initials!
I don't support girls losing in sports due to an unfair and undeniable biological advantage afforded to transgender athletes.
A person can hold both of those opinions and not be in conflict.
Mixed feelings here. No surgery? No, you don't get to play women's sports. Surgery and hormone therapy? Probably okay. Most likely have to take some sort of hormone test to be sure that the amount of male hormone has been suppressed enough to be on a level field with women.
The Williams sisters didn't have an unfair advantage? They were obviously physically superior to the average woman
The average woman in the US is 39 years old, 5'-4" tall and weighs just over 170#.
So most every competing woman pro tennis player is physically superior to the average woman.
[Height and weight info is for women 20 yo and older.]
So many 5’4 , 170 lb gals pack West Allis dance floors every Saturday it’s a public safety issue.
From above it kind of looks like Pac-Man.
@Fandame posted:Mixed feelings here. No surgery? No, you don't get to play women's sports. Surgery and hormone therapy? Probably okay. Most likely have to take some sort of hormone test to be sure that the amount of male hormone has been suppressed enough to be on a level field with women.
Muscle mass. That is an irrefutably HUGE advantage for people born to the male persuasion.
@Blair Kiel posted:Muscle mass. That is an irrefutably HUGE advantage for people born to the male persuasion.
That's why the hormone levels need to be checked and surgery done. If you look at pictures of Renee Richards, yes, there's still a bit more muscle but the highest she rose in the ranks was #20. She had surgery and so on. Interesting note: Richards was Navratilova's coach.
Richards was in her 30’s by the time she had gender reassignment. One can only wonder her ranking in women’s tennis if she’d transitioned at 18.
People born as men are just bigger, faster and stronger. It’s biology. Hormone therapy may reduce that advantage, but there is no measurable way to give them the same anatomy and physiology as someone born female.
I have great empathy for people with gender dysphoria…that doesn’t mean it’s fair that they compete athletically against women.
Lea Thompson, the Penn swimmer was a good, but not great swimmer as a male competing against males. What she is doing as a woman vs women is pretty definitive proof of my argument.
So glad Jimmy the Greek is chiming in on this topic.
I don’t care the gender or the sport - some athletes are predisposed to artificial enhancements or other forms of cheating to gain an advantage.
BTW, I’ll have you know our 14 year old who is like 5’2” 100 pounds is routinely kicking the asses of girls a lot bigger and stronger and older than her. Technique and instincts and competitive drive and discipline and pure overall athleticism can overcome a lot of so called physical disadvantages.
As for the Williams sisters, Serena in particular, there are no comparisons. She’s a freak of nature physically, but she also possesses many of the other attributes i mentioned above.
Your daughter will grow up to be the size of Justine Henin, and then you'll be sorry for making fun of me for being a fan of her tennis.
So you’re good, Tschmack if your gifted daughter finishes second at state to a trans boy?
I don’t like it nor do I agree with it. But I also don’t lose any sleep over it either.
I do worry about performance enhancing drugs or substances though. You see this in a lot of boys HS sports, football and basketball in particular. No one would think girls would be doping or dosing but hell it’s rampant in other parts of the world.
I’ll be on the lookout for the Adam’s apple and some chick named Chrissy that goes 6’4” 240 and hits a 150mph serve.
That makes me want to listen to “Lola” by the Kinks.
Hey babe…take a walk on the wild side.
Lou Reed
If you want some serious women's tennis, watch Iga Świątek's demolition of Cori Gauff today.
