Search Results for: transsexual athletics

The NYT publishes a good article on the transsexual athlete controversy

When I occasionally write about the issue of how to deal with transsexual people in sports—a problem nearly always involving transsexual women competing against cissexual women—I often get pushback along these lines: “There are so few of these athletes, so why bother about the issue? Let them compete!” I bother for three reasons. First, the … Continue reading The NYT publishes a good article on the transsexual athlete controversy

Look to the evidence, but don’t gloss over it if you don’t like it

I’m not going to dissect this entire article from Nature; I’m too dispirited about how it, its American equivalent Science, and, indeed, nearly all scientific journals I read, are acting, tinting their science for ideology. You can read the article by clicking on the screenshot below, but I want to highlight just one of its … Continue reading Look to the evidence, but don’t gloss over it if you don’t like it

FFRF unwisely battles for the right of transsexual women (medically treated or not) to compete in women’s sports

I’ve always been a fan of and a member of the Freedom from Religion Foundation (FFRF). I am on their Honorary Board of Directors, and in 2011 received their “Emperor Has No Clothes Award”, which as they say is “reserved for public figures who take on the fabled role of the little child in the … Continue reading FFRF unwisely battles for the right of transsexual women (medically treated or not) to compete in women’s sports

One Atlantic article walks back another

On September 17, Maggie Mertens published an article in The Atlantic, “Separating sports by sex doesn’t make sense“, which I wrote about here two days thereafter. Mertens adduced a number of dubious arguments for her argument that in “youth sports”, which includes sports through high school (students aged up to about 18), there should be … Continue reading One Atlantic article walks back another

The Atlantic: We shouldn’t separate school sports by sex

Matthew called my attention to a tweet that highlighted this article. I was disturbed to read it, because it’s full of half-truths, distortions, and false claims that I didn’t expect in a magazine of the The Atlantic’s quality. The author, Maggie Mertens, is a writer and journalist living in Seattle. First, what is Mertens calling … Continue reading The Atlantic: We shouldn’t separate school sports by sex

Cathy Young on trans athletes

Reading time:  However long it takes. (I hate these “reading time” indications, since they steer people away from long pieces and individuals vary tremendously in their speed of reading.) *************** The eminently sensible Cathy Young has a pretty balanced article in Bulwark on trans athletes, dealing with what criteria we should use to allow transexual … Continue reading Cathy Young on trans athletes

FINA, the governing body of international swimming and water sports, largely bans transgender women from competing in “elite” events

Those of us who have questioned the fairness to biological women of allowing transgender women to compete against cisgender women in sports have been tarred with the adjective “transphobe”.  That’s palpably unfair, but such slurs are often used to shut down debate, as they have been in this case. I wonder, then, what trans activists … Continue reading FINA, the governing body of international swimming and water sports, largely bans transgender women from competing in “elite” events

How many people must be appeased to warrant a change in language?

I wonder whether people in the future will look back at this time of Newspeak as a great moral advance or as a time of semantic craziness. I tend to side with the latter in cases where only a few members of a group are offended by a usage. For example, I tend to use … Continue reading How many people must be appeased to warrant a change in language?

Sports Illustrated highlights Lia Thomas and the swimming controversy

We all know now about Lia Thomas, the transgender swimmer born a biological male but who transitioned after puberty. After swimming for the University of Pennsylvania’s men’s team for a time, she decided to take hormone blockers, and now swims on the women’s team. While her performance on the men’s team was so-so, Thomas has … Continue reading Sports Illustrated highlights Lia Thomas and the swimming controversy

Monday: Hili dialogue (and Mietek monologue)

Top o’ the week to you: it’s Monday, December 19: six days until the beginning of Coynezaa and seven until I leave for a visit to Poland.  It’s National Hard Candy Day! It’s also National Oatmeal Muffin Day (ugh), Holly Day, Saint Nicholas Day, and the first day of Hanukkah. According to Wikipedia, here’s how the … Continue reading Monday: Hili dialogue (and Mietek monologue)