The gender dilemma

[colhenrylives]

It was bound to happen. Last weekend, a Branson School female distance runner was denied a spot in the CIF track and field finals by a boy who identifies as a girl. He finished second. She finished fourth, and out of the state finals. Among the biological girls, she finished third (and would have qualified for the finals without the biological boy's presence in the race). There is outrage all around, on all sides. Feminists and other strong advocates for female athletes are not pleased. Supporters of transgender individuals are unhappy with those angry about the situation. It's a mess. Lay the blame on CIF officials who don't adhere to gender-specific norms advanced throughout the world. The question becomes: When will CIF poobahs align their gender-based rules with fair and reasonable moves taken at higher levels of sports competition?

 

[colhenrylives]

Heresy. Beware. The Inquisition is alive and well. (This is a response to a post which indicated concern about what has occurred in the NCS; it was removed).

 

[colhenrylives]

The SF Chronicle has a story regarding this issue. Unsurprisingly, it is tilted toward sympathy for the transgender side of the equation. Focusing on the obvious disconnect between CIF's emphasis on fairness, "equity," balanced competition, etc. and the inclusion of a biological male in a foot race for biological females is not in the newspaper's sights. Instead, The Chronicle worries about people protesting such an inclusion and their impact on the biological male, missing the point. This is a CIF problem.

 

[kiddman32]

I dunno... What can be done? I have heard that the procedures involved (or results of said procedures) can reduce muscle mass, strength, etc. (No idea if this has been proven true or not.)

If this IS true, forcing the transgender person to compete against males isn't fair, either.

If this is NOT true, I completely see your point.

Another "solution" could be to not let transgender athletes play at all, not fair or viable in any way...

Or have a separate competition only for transgender participants, but there would be nowhere near enough participants to make that work...

::: shrugs shoulders :::

 

[colhenrylives]

The key to the CIF posture is how a teen "identifies." It has no bearing on any hormone/surgery issues. It is purely how the young person feels.

 

[colhenrylives]

As of Saturday morning, it was announced that two transgender girls (formerly identified as biological boys) bowed out of CIF qualifying events at the state track and field finals.