General Discussions

[Lods]

[member=105]Thryleon[/member]

1. Context is this. They are human, they feel the way they do. It does not affect anyone else in society. So why push back? Accept and deal. (This is not directed at you, but society as a whole)

This recent debate probably started from a discussion regarding the fairness of transgender athletes competing in women's competition.
So in respect of that it's probably the fact that there may possibly be a disadvantage to a section of society...the female opponent of the transgender athlete.

That's the dilemma....
Equality of opportunity for the trans athlete v fairness for their possible female opponents and integrity of records.

I'm beginning to feel a bit like Baggers
It's a can of worms.

And perhaps it’s to the credit of female former high-level athletes that they don’t use their highly-honed techniques to dominate masters events too. Masters footy isn’t dominated by ex-AFL stars mainly because they don’t play Masters footy. Libba does and he was dominating in the 35s category when he was over 50. Not only did his technique serve him well, he was fitter than his opponents as well.

It's interesting...and I can only speak in terms of Masters Track and Field.
While that's only a small section of the sporting landscape  it is relevant from the point of view that most competition involving transgender athletes will be at that lower than elite, or at a community level.

I'd personally would love the opportunity to compete against a Daley Thompson or Bruce Jenner in Masters competition through their 40s, 50s and 60s.
I'd like to know whether that age factor narrowed a considerable gap between us.

But it's a fact that not many elite athletes compete in their later years.
I suspect that has a bit to do with not continuing with the sacrifices to training and competition they made at their peak, but also it's a case of 'been there done that'.

I know through discussions with female Masters athletes they'd also like to compete against champions of the past
Here's the thing though....
I'm not sure those same  female athletes in the womens 70-75 division would share that enthusiasm if Jenner was in the start lists.

But here's another complicating factor to consider....
From my understanding Jenner has taken medication and had some facial surgery but retains her male bits.
There's a very good chance she wouldn't meet the requirements for competition as a female transgender athlete.

A lot of organisations are now producing rules and standards for transgender competition.
Here's the most recent one for Track and Field.

Definition of Transgender

The term ‘Transgender’ is used in these Regulations to refer to individuals whose gender identity (i.e. how they identify) is different from the sex designated to them at birth, whether they are pre- or post-puberty, and whether or not they have undergone any form of medical intervention.


Participation is encouraged with conditions

World Athletics recognises that Transgender athletes may wish to compete in Athletics in accordance with their gender identity. World Athletics wishes to encourage and facilitate such participation, on conditions that go only so far as is necessary to protect the safety of all participants and to deliver on the promise of fair and meaningful competition offered by the division of the sport into male and female categories of competition.



Conditions of participation

A Transgender athlete who wishes to participate in an International Competition, or to be eligible to set a World Record in a competition that is not an International Competition, agrees, as a condition to such participation:

· To comply in full with these Regulations

· To cooperate promptly and in good faith with the Medical Manager and the Expert Panel in the discharge of their respective responsibilities under these Regulations, including providing them with all of the information and evidence they request to assess his/her compliance and/or monitor his/her continuing compliance with the eligibility conditions referred to in these Regulations;



Procedure for applying for eligibility: male transgender athletes

· A transgender male athlete must provide a written and signed declaration, in a form satisfactory to the Medical Manager, that his gender identity is male.

· As soon as reasonably practicable following receipt of such declaration, the Medical Manager will issue a written certification of that athlete’s eligibility to compete in the male category of competition in International Competition and to set a World Record in the male category in a competition that is not an International Competition.


Procedure for applying for eligibility: female transgender athletes

A transgender female athlete must meet the following to the satisfaction of an Expert Panel

· She must provide a written and signed declaration, in a form satisfactory to the Medical Manager, that her gender identity is female

· Along with this she must provide a comprehensive medical history

The Medical Manager will refer the file (in anonymised form) to the Expert Panel for assessment

· She must demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Expert Panel (on the balance of probabilities) that the concentration of testosterone in her serum has been less than 5 nmol/L3 continuously for a period of at least 12 months

· Also, she must keep her serum testosterone concentration below 5 nmol/L for

so long as she wishes to maintain her eligibility to compete in the female category of competition.

If the Expert Panel decides that the Transgender Female Eligibility Conditions have been met, the Medical Manager will issue a written certification of that athlete’s eligibility to compete in the female category of competition in International Competition (and to set a World Record in the female category in a competition that is not an International Competition).

That eligibility will be subject in every case to the athlete’s continuing satisfaction of the Transgender Female Eligibility Conditions, including continuously maintaining her serum testosterone at a concentration of less than 5 nmol/L.



The following are NOT required:

· Legal recognition of the athlete’s gender identity as the athlete’s sex

· Surgical anatomical changes

Clearly, although they state they encourage participation, such rules would be quite restrictive and even prohibitive for the average community athlete to comply with and are designed for international competition.
But there is an acknowledgement that there is some point where a transgender female athlete does have an advantage over their opposition and must take steps to enable eligibility.
No such regulations apply to the male transgender athlete.

That's just a snapshot of one sport.
Translate that over numerous sports and you get a feeling of some of the hurdles for transgender participation.

Here's one article that's very thorough, a bit wordy but puts into perspective the problems with the debate as the author seems to wrestle with their own thoughts on the issue.

https://sportsscientists.com/2019/03/on-...dvantages/