It’s almost time to delete my account so I am sticking my neck out to potentially getting blasted.

I will preface by stating that gender identity is not an issue for me. Be who you want, use whatever bathroom you want. Just wash your hands/paws/tentacles.

My ignorant question is: for transgender athletes in competitive sports, should records be categorized differently or asterisked? Isn’t it kind of like using performance-enhancing drugs?

I don’t mind about actually competing, however if someone had 5-10 years of hormonal growth advantage during puberty, even if they no longer have that advantage, it seems like a big gray area. Yes, someone could naturally have that chemical makeup. Similarly, some exceptionally elite athletes have genetic variations that give them natural physical advantage.

When I was in school I was decent at swimming, in the top 5% of men. If I competed against women I would be like top 0.01% and making a career out of it. Though, if I started setting records I don’t know how I’d feel about it, given my advantage.

Honestly, writing these thoughts down is giving me some existential dread. What does it mean to be human, and why? Does anything even really matter?

I hope everyone has a nice day and is kind to each other.

  • gnuplusmatt@reddthat.com
    182·
    1 day ago

    Not an expert, but have read news long enough to notice a few things get overlooked

    there are cases where it would be a disadvantage. If the athlete went through full male puberty their skeleton is going to be larger and heavier than someone who went through female puberty, after enough time at typical female hormone levels muscle mass generally decrease to be inline with cis women. It would take more energy to haul your own bones. On the otherside of the coin, more recent transwomen may not have gone through male puberty due to the use of blockers, why should they be penalised

    People also tend to focus on transwomen, but conceivably there are sports where transmen might be at an advantage, where a typically lighter smaller frame may be a win. There are also so few trans people competing at a competitive level that as someone who lives outside the american culture wars and tends not to give a shit about sport, it always seems like an such a waste of effort to make a drama out of it

    • FreedomAdvocate@lemmy.net.auEnglish
      58·
      1 day ago

      after enough time at typical female hormone levels muscle mass generally decrease to be inline with cis women.

      Muscle mass != strength though. Also someone that is physically larger isn’t going to have their muscle mass shrink to that of someone that is a foot shorter.

      but conceivably there are sports where transmen might be at an advantage, where a typically lighter smaller frame may be a win.

      The complete abscense of trans men in male sports competitions says this isn’t a thing.

      There are also so few trans people competing at a competitive level that as someone who lives outside the american culture wars and tends not to give a shit about sport, it always seems like an such a waste of effort to make a drama out of it

      “Drama” needs to be made out of it before it becomes the norm, and by “drama” I mean it needs to be assessed properly based on science, biology, and reality and have a decision reached for the future. Make no mistake - if trans women are allowed to compete with women in professional sport, and even at a high school level, eventually it will be just all trans women in the womens divisions with no “cis” women with the rate at which people are coming out as trans.

      • gnuplusmatt@reddthat.com
        92·
        1 day ago

        Weight and height classes exist

        The near absence of trans people in sport, tends to indicate this really isn’t much a of a thing to begin with

        hyperbole much?

        • FreedomAdvocate@lemmy.net.auEnglish
          46·
          1 day ago

          Weight and height classes exist

          Not in every sport. Are there weight and height classes in track and field? Football? Soccer?

          Also would you be ok with a man and a woman facing off in Boxing or MMA just because they’re the same weight?

          The near absence of trans people in sport, tends to indicate this really isn’t much a of a thing to begin with

          It’s becoming more and more prevalent, don’t pretend like it isn’t. If it isn’t stopped there will be no women in the womens divisions of sports, only trans women.

          https://thenationaldesk.com/news/americas-news-now/un-study-reveals-transgender-athletes-have-won-nearly-900-medals-in-womens-competitions-united-nations-sports-lgbt-gender-identity-title-ix-athletics

          WASHINGTON (TNND) — The U.N. says transgender athletes competing in women’s athletic events have won nearly 900 medals over their competitors, according to the results of a study obtained by The National News Desk (TNND).

          The 20-page document examined “violence against women and girls in sports” and claims more than 600 biologically female athletes have lost at least 890 medals to transgender competitors. These defeats occurred in over 400 competitions in 29 sports, though authors did not specify specific events, levels of competition or time periods.

          • gnuplusmatt@reddthat.com
            62·
            1 day ago

            IIRC this is the study that counted medals multiple times

            But I’m glad you have your culture wars to fill in your day

            • FreedomAdvocate@lemmy.net.auEnglish
              26·
              1 day ago

              You act like you’re not participating in this “culture war” as much as I supposedly am lol.

              You said it’s barely affecting anyone. I posted evidence that it affects hundreds/thousands of people. You dismiss it based on you thinking you remember something lol Even if it did count every medal twice, which you’ve provided no evidence to show it even counted a single one twice, it’s still thousands of women affected.

              • gnuplusmatt@reddthat.com
                71·
                1 day ago

                Even if it did count every medal twice, which you’ve provided no evidence to show it even counted a single one twice

                Pretty clear the study is flawed

                do you remember the part where I said I’m not an expert, not invested or care about sport?

                Who has the energy to care? assuming you’re a seppo, your country has a shit tonne more to worry about than how good someone’s chromosomes make them at putting a hockey stick in a basket from the other end of the pool

                  • gnuplusmatt@reddthat.com
                    41·
                    1 day ago

                    that is a pathetic way to try and kill a discussion, especially when your source was repeating conservative echo chamber nonsense and the section of the video I linked was literally talking about your stats, in a clear concise manner, something your article never took the time to do

                • FreedomAdvocate@lemmy.net.auEnglish
                  14·
                  1 day ago

                  Who has the energy to care? assuming you’re a seppo, your country has a shit tonne more to worry about than how good someone’s chromosomes make them at putting a hockey stick in a basket from the other end of the pool

                  Yet here you are, caring.

                  Not american, and that is a pathetic way to try and kill a discussion. Just because something more important might be happening everything else should be ignored?