Biology Wins The Race

[naomi24]

Two transgender teen sprinters come first AND second in the girl's state championship months after one competed as a boy. Fair or not?

Very handy, this fashion for self-identifying.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5836021/Students-parents-demand-rule-change-trans-teen-wins-girls-state-championship.html

[New Judge]

"Are males faster than females?"

100m world record: M: 9.58s F: 10.49s
1500m. 3m26.00s. 3m50.07s
Marathon. 2h02m57s. 2h15m25s

I don't believe their is a single event involving physical strength where women generally outdo men.

This business of "choosing" one's gender is ridiculous and should have been strangled at birth.

[New Judge]

And so should predictive text!

[jim360]

I'm not sure anyone who's trans would agree that it's a "choice", in the literal sense. We are who we are; for some of us, who we are and how we look don't match up.

Totally argue on the second though.

[tamborine]

Menstruation proof via medics would separate females from trans

[naomi24]

Jim, if you being who you are negatively affects other people who, with rather greater legitimate reason, are also being who they are, that can’t be right.

[jim360]

I wasn't addressing the specific issue of transgender athletes so much as NJ's last sentence in the post at the top of this page.

As far as that goes, it's a difficult and controversial issue and there's no point in my pretending otherwise. The only point I'd specifically take issue with would be the "Very handy" remark -- East German athletes in the 1980s notwithstanding, I am not sure that anyone would choose to change their gender identity for the specific reason of doing well in sports competitions.

[mushroom25]

//Menstruation proof via medics would separate females from trans //

not necessarily, tambo.....

https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/men-pregnant-womb-transplant-dr-richard-paulson-transgender-a8037201.html

[youngmafbog]

The only answer is total equality.

So disband all female sports and merge into the male. One set of teams comprising those who can perform at the particular sport the best.

That way there should be no complaints from anyone as it is total equality.

If this carries on effectively Ladies Sports teams will end up disbanded anyway as people get fed up.

[naomi24]

Jim, //I am not sure that anyone would choose to change their gender identity for the specific reason of doing well in sports competitions. //

That wasn't the suggestion - simply that it's come in very handy for these particular athletes.

[Hazi-Hammenuhoth]

Was the tortoise really a hare after an operation?

[tamborine]

Dont think trans would want monthly tampax insertion, mushroom

[mushroom25]

//Was the tortoise really a hare after an operation? //

the tortoise has no need. the tortoise just has to declare "I am a hare", and it's society's legal obligation to respect that.

[New Judge]

What is the proportion of (allegedly) transgender people among the General population? I.e. just how many people are these ludicrous accommodation s being made for?

I suspect it is very, very few. If so and as usual, unjustified adjustment s are being made to accommodate a tiny minority.

[ToraToraTora]

quite right judge, I'm entering the ladies shot putt next olympics

[youngmafbog]

East Germans would still beat you TTT :-)

[jim360]

There's about one-and-a-half million of them in the US. Plenty enough to care about.

I get the sports thing, it's an issue that requires care to resolve, but let's not write off transgenderism altogether.

[Theland]

On Monday I was a bloke, but by Wednesday I had decided to become a tart, and have a girlie night out.
Got fed up so today am a bloke again.
Trying to find a comfortable pronoun, and if folk don't use it, I shall be offended and be a victim of this sexist society. Then I will need counselling and a grant off the government to live a normal life and maintain my diverse knicker drawer with appropriate garb.

[New Judge]

And what Theland said would be laughable - if only it wasn't a possibility.

[Theland]

More public money for the offended, whatever the offence. Victimhood is trendy.

[Mamyalynne]

Everyone needs a diverse knicker drawer,essential to cover all eventualities.

Very few (yes, I know you can find some) women refer to themselves as a tart.

Just a pointer for next Wednesday.