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#2021thread on male bodies in female sport, following up on a similar one from last year, https://twitter.com/historywoman/status/1228711754085097474Key issues and questions to address:
What is the purpose of sport?
Of rules?
Of divisions within sport?
#SexNotGender assures #FairPlayForWomen, girls.
Sport is a physical thing, historically categorized by categories such as age, location, experience level, body weight, sex and similar.
The entire history of women's sport is based on sex segregation, from 1900 Olympics through Title IX to today's professional WNBA and NWSL.
The entire history of women's sport is based on sex segregation, from 1900 Olympics through Title IX to today's professional WNBA and NWSL.
Male puberty offers permanent and irreversible advantages: longer bone length, greater muscle mass, larger organs and more.
http://BoysVsWomen.com shows how male high-school students frequently outperform female Olympians, and not because Olympians are lazy.
It's just physics.
http://BoysVsWomen.com shows how male high-school students frequently outperform female Olympians, and not because Olympians are lazy.
It's just physics.
Male athletes already have access to sport, although more could be done to address sexism and homophobia.
Recreational and participatory leagues offer even more access, as do specialized events such as the Gay Games, Paralympics, elder and youth leagues, Special Olympics, etc.
Recreational and participatory leagues offer even more access, as do specialized events such as the Gay Games, Paralympics, elder and youth leagues, Special Olympics, etc.
The idea that one might "identify into" a different category is ludicrous. Heavyweight boxers don't get to "identify" as lightweights, nor black belts as novices.
If I were to "identify as" a ten-year old, should I be allowed to compete against grade schoolers?
Of course not.
If I were to "identify as" a ten-year old, should I be allowed to compete against grade schoolers?
Of course not.
The relevant division for more than a century has been #SexNotGender, but @ACLU would support the existence of an all-male "girls" team, as explicitly admitted at https://twitter.com/SaveWomensSport/status/1359537041378316288.
Every such slot or medal or scholarship taken by a male here must be STOLEN from a female.
Every such slot or medal or scholarship taken by a male here must be STOLEN from a female.
There are already mixed-sex events and leagues, which almost always have special rules to assure (and require) a minimum number of slots for women.
Watch how much a five-second lead matters in this 29 September 2009 4x400 mixed relay championship.
Watch how much a five-second lead matters in this 29 September 2009 4x400 mixed relay championship.
The first two male athletes to compete in the Connecticut "girls'" state track championships not only took first and second in some events, but 19 medals between them.
Differences between male and female records are consistent across sports over DECADES.
Differences between male and female records are consistent across sports over DECADES.
All good public policy will balance multiple competing interests, and understand that these are often in direct conflict.
What is the purpose of any sport? Do we prioritize health and opportunity for women and girls, or the "affirmation" of select male "identities" and feelings?
What is the purpose of any sport? Do we prioritize health and opportunity for women and girls, or the "affirmation" of select male "identities" and feelings?
Why were age-level and sex-segregated leagues created in the first place? Do those conditions and public-policy priorities still apply?
Allowing male bodies to colonize female leagues effectively opens them as unisex, negating their original purpose. It destroys them.
Allowing male bodies to colonize female leagues effectively opens them as unisex, negating their original purpose. It destroys them.
Can any sport have a legal right to enforce divisions of any kind?
https://philpapers.org/rec/LAWWSA-4
Female-only spaces were historically created to provide much-needed safety, equity and dignity. Should women ever have the right to exclude males from female-only spaces?
Why or why not?
https://philpapers.org/rec/LAWWSA-4
Female-only spaces were historically created to provide much-needed safety, equity and dignity. Should women ever have the right to exclude males from female-only spaces?
Why or why not?
If the goals of sport are health, safety and fair opportunity, all policies should support those with clear and transparent study toward policy.
https://doi.org/10.1080/00948705.2020.1863814
World Rugby did that when considering the inclusion of male bodies in female sport.
https://doi.org/10.1080/00948705.2020.1863814
World Rugby did that when considering the inclusion of male bodies in female sport.
Some advocates for male bodies in female sport claim that transgender-identified males have long been part of female sport but that is simply not true.
In the United States there was one high-profile case where Renée Richards (né Richard Raskin) sought to compete in women's professional tennis.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1869648/
In their forties, Richards was fairly competitive with professional women in their prime, but withdrew.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1869648/
In their forties, Richards was fairly competitive with professional women in their prime, but withdrew.
The fact that there are almost no cases of female athletes proving competitive in male sport is consistent with the historical difference in male and female sport records.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/early-lead/wp/2018/02/25/transgender-wrestler-mack-beggs-wins-second-texas-state-girls-championship/
Mack Beggs' successes were against other females while taking testosterone.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/early-lead/wp/2018/02/25/transgender-wrestler-mack-beggs-wins-second-texas-state-girls-championship/
Mack Beggs' successes were against other females while taking testosterone.
There is no dishonor in losing a fair competition, and there is no honor in cheating to create an unfair one.
https://usatoday.com/story/sports/tennis/aus/2017/01/21/serena-williams-nicole-gibbs-australian-open/96876832/
Honorable sport is built on fairness and a decent willingness to abide by rules for honest play. All decent athletes hold cheaters in contempt.
https://usatoday.com/story/sports/tennis/aus/2017/01/21/serena-williams-nicole-gibbs-australian-open/96876832/
Honorable sport is built on fairness and a decent willingness to abide by rules for honest play. All decent athletes hold cheaters in contempt.
âIn Olympic competition, the menâs shot is 7.26kg whilst the womenâs is 4kg. The men still âputâ it further. This is because of the typical strength and power differences between the two sexes.
https://medium.com/@drtonylycholat/male-sports-performance-advantage-f00e1a334e1f
Female bodies are also more susceptible to concussion.
https://medium.com/@drtonylycholat/male-sports-performance-advantage-f00e1a334e1f
Female bodies are also more susceptible to concussion.
Those who seek to promote male bodies in female sport are actively choosing to deny safety, fairness and dignity to women.
Some are also taking cruel and misogynistic pleasure in the idea of seeing women hurt, humiliated or beaten.
Nothing about that is sporting.
Some are also taking cruel and misogynistic pleasure in the idea of seeing women hurt, humiliated or beaten.
Nothing about that is sporting.
Serious athletes, coaches and fans understand the physics, physiology and kinesiology of male advantage in traditional sports as science.
Tactics are often different for male and female teams.
https://web.archive.org/web/20150912204146/https://www.washingtonpost.com/apps/g/page/national/gender-performance-in-sports/830/
In a few sports, female physiology is more of an advantage.
Tactics are often different for male and female teams.
https://web.archive.org/web/20150912204146/https://www.washingtonpost.com/apps/g/page/national/gender-performance-in-sports/830/
In a few sports, female physiology is more of an advantage.
Various state laws were introduced in 2020 and 2019 to legally define what a male is, excluding all biological males from sports designated for "women" or "girls."
These laws make it legally possible to enforce Title IX rules of nearly fifty years' standing. That's all.
These laws make it legally possible to enforce Title IX rules of nearly fifty years' standing. That's all.
Some require formal statement of sex, which is no more invasive than the standard pre-participation exam "sports physical" most states have required for DECADES, for insurance and safety purposes.
Performed by a private physician, these screen for heart arrhythmia, hernia, etc.
Performed by a private physician, these screen for heart arrhythmia, hernia, etc.
Some of these laws may allow for an athlete's sex to be challenged, in which case it can be proved by a second affidavit of medical exam. Such second exams might be a cheek swab or ultrasound, and are less invasive than a standard hernia exam.
There are no requirements for any athlete to ever undergo hormone treatments or surgery, nor should there be.
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-55144148
A major court ruling in the UK has recognized such treatments as "experimental," and it would be unethical to encourage them for any youth.
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-55144148
A major court ruling in the UK has recognized such treatments as "experimental," and it would be unethical to encourage them for any youth.
The most recent and thorough studies of #ReverseDoping testosterone suppression is that mostly it does not work.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-020-01389-3
Single-digit drops in double-digit advantages still retain male, sex-based advantage.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-020-01389-3
Single-digit drops in double-digit advantages still retain male, sex-based advantage.
It is unfair, unsafe and unsound to allow male bodies into female sports, regardless of "gender identity."
Athletics are physical things, long segregated by physical criteria, not by favorite color or strong feeling.
It is #SexNotGender that assures #FairPlayForWomen, girls.
Athletics are physical things, long segregated by physical criteria, not by favorite color or strong feeling.
It is #SexNotGender that assures #FairPlayForWomen, girls.
@ThreadReaderApp, unroll please.
Those who wish to write to their legislators in support of laws preventing the colonization of female sport with male bodies may order postcards in quantity at https://savewomenssports.com/shop/ols/products/sws-postcards-men-should-not-compete-in-womens-sports-sws-pst-men-shl1002, illustrating relevant sex differences in physics, physiology.
