Against the Grain II
By Vaughn Wilson
On May 1, Caitlyn Jenner made a very clear statement. It falls in line with several legislations that only get half of the issue right. Now including the state of Florida and over 30 other states, bans on transgender athletes competing in girls’ sports have trended in this political cycle.
Jenner, once known as Bruce, was a male Olympic Gold Medalist and arguably the most popular athlete in the world in America’s centennial year of 1976. Jenner publicly transitioned to a woman in 2015.
“This is a question of fairness. That’s why I oppose biological boys who are trans competing in girl sports in school. It just isn’t fair. We have to protect girl sports in our schools,” Jenner said.
Part of the struggle of the LGBTQ+ community is their right to belong. In a world that had turned its back on this population for generations, a shift happened about a decade ago and from that time the community has won several legal battles. Included in the victories was legislation that allowed official recognition of same-sex marriages. The LGBTQ+ community was able to push through a bill of rights which granted them the foundation to battle for rights afforded all couples, including adoption of children.
Along with the newly-acquired legalities came a new set of problems. The sports world was not ready for the realization of the mainstream battles that would ensue…and they still aren’t.
My focus is on the advancements for transgender inclusion in athletics. Transgender athletes began to appear with no consideration for their biological makeups. In short order, people born as males who had transitioned to female began dominating women’s sports, especially in track and field. Most sports have different divisions separated by gender as, physiologically, males have strength and speed advantages, inherently. By dividing the groups into sexes in track and field, basketball, football, hockey, gymnastics and other sports, it provides for a more even playing field.
The shift to allow transgendered athletes to compete, particularly allowing individuals born as male who had transitioned to identify as female, was an unexplored phenomenon.
Out of nowhere, young cisgender women who had trained their whole lives to be state champions were being dominated by transgender young women. Because of the backlash given to folks who spoke out, athletic federations were held hostage in silence.
The answer is simple and needs to be implemented as soon as possible. It’s time for sports federations of all sorts to right the ship. They need to meet with representatives of the LGBTQ+ community and get advice on what to call the category of transgender athletes and begin immediate implementation.
Imagine a world without Florence Griffith “Flo Jo” Joyner…without Serena Williams…without Mia Hamm… If the current conditions existed during their peak performance years, we may not know them as we know them today.
I am not saying to put the transgender community in an “other” category, but to develop a new standard with the community and devise a separate category from strictly male or female. It actually falls in line with the request of the community. The desire is to be appreciated for who they are and no different than cis-males or females.
As it stands, so many contests have been completely dominated by transgender woman, which is counter-narrative to why women sports were created. In several of these cases, the men who transitioned have competed in the past as men with little success. Soon after they transition and become a transgender woman, they are declared champions in the women’s division.
No longer must we subject young cisgender women to such a losing proposition. Just as the LGBTQ+ community seeks equality, biological women seek the same. Sooner than later, the third “cross” division must be implemented in sports.
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