Caitlyn Jenner opposes trans girls in women's sports as unfair
 

Glad she's speaking up as a former elite athlete and transwoman

Caitlyn Jenner, candidate for California governor and former Olympic gold medallist, says she opposes trans girls participating in women's sports.

Ms Jenner, who came out as a trans woman in 2015, told a reporter: "It just isn't fair. And we have to protect girls' sports in our schools."

The Republican candidate for governor gave what appeared to be an impromptu interview to the TMZ website.

A number of US states are considering a ban on trans girls in women's sports.

Mississippi signed such a ban into law in March, although it is expected to face appeals. The Human Rights Campaign - the largest LGBT advocacy group in the US - says some 17 other states are considering similar legislation.


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Caitlyn Jenner was one of the US's most successful athletes in the decathlon during the 1970s and won gold in the Montreal Olympics in 1976.

In recent years, she has been a household name thanks to her involvement in the hit reality show Keeping Up with the Kardashians. Before transitioning, she was married to Kris Jenner and the pair have two daughters, Kendall and Kylie.

Ms Jenner, who has been described as the highest-profile American to come out as transgender, was asked for her opinion on the hot-button issue of trans athletes while out walking her dog to get a coffee.

"This is a question of fairness," she said. "That's why I oppose biological boys who are trans competing in girls' sports in school. It just isn't fair. And we have to protect girls' sports in our schools."

Ms Jenner then took to Twitter to reiterate her stance.

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The 71-year-old announced her bid to run as a Republican in the Democratic stronghold state of California two weeks ago.

Confirmation of a recall election is expected after a petition against current Governor Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, reached the number required to trigger a vote. Voters would be asked if they want Mr Newsom to stay or another candidate to take on the job.

Ms Jenner's views on trans athletes put her at odds with many activists in the trans community, who argue that legislation targeting trans children is dangerous and discriminatory.

On Friday, another transgender celebrity, Elliot Page, criticised the moves to ban transgender athletes from competing in girls' sports teams in some states.

i mean its basic common sense

i cant imagine anyone would disagree

saw this yesterday, good to hear this from someone in the community, and also someone who has competed at Olympic level :clap1:

Male people outperform female people in sports, so of course it's unfair to allow transwomen to compete against women.

I think part of what I don't understand with the idea that it SHOULD be open to everyone is... ... well ... that's just not how sports work anyway? Like the idea is that it's "unfair" for a transwoman not to be able to compete in a sport she likes because of something that's beyond her control at birth.

BUT that's inherent to sports? You want to be a professional gymnast but you have wideset hips? Tough **** you can't. I want to be a jockey but I'm 6'2? Nope sorry pal it's not happening.

etc.

There are all sort of barriers to sports, so I don't think another "Well I'd like to do _____, but..." is a huge problem or a huge discrimination.

Olympics should move to gender neutral for each and every sport.

If women want to complete with special allowances then their should be a women only events in the Paralympics for them.

And boxing should get rid of weight classes, feather weights should train harder if they want to be able to compete with heavy weights!

exactly.

We want to see the best of the best not people getting meddles because they are the best of a bad bunch.

:laugh2: OK

To be fair I have suggested in the past that it would be amazing if they just removed all rules. Performance enhancing drugs? Gobble them down! Robotic enhancements? Hell yeah as many as you want!!

Just people popped full of roids and technology running at 50mph, throwing things hundreds of metres, and knocking lumps off each other.

Hugely unethical? Sure. But it would be a ratings HIT.

Meh. With combat sports they're practically different sports. Lower weight classes would be absolutely flattened in one hit by a super-heavyweight ... but super-heavyweight fight classes are nowhere near as entertaining as the speedier classes.

Where will they compete then?

within their own sex category

I'm really glad that Caitlin Jenner spoke out on this. She's a respected member of the Trans community and an ex athlete. I'd say that should be the final word on the matter.

I really wouldn’t go that far, ex athlete and trans woman yes, but respected within the LGBTQ+ community, definitely not.

Yes but don't forget ... Hang on ..
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/2Y...E53m0=s320-l65
Caitlyn is a rich white privileged male celebrity so only has so much sway...

Maybe the standard LGBT "community", it's the Q+ who seem to have a problem with her.

She's very controversial in the trans community and she definitely should not be the final word on the matter.
She gives her opinion which like all opinions are welcome (as long as they're not transphobic obviously) but it's not a black and white issue and just because she's an ex athelete and a transwoman doesn't mean she gets to decide on her own or be "the final word".
Good for her if she has an opinion on the matter.

i think it's more that she is high profile and at least has some experience. Of course people will disagree with her, but in what seems to be an emotive subject area, it's nice to see what i perceive as being common sense

It's very much a black and white issue when it comes to Sport which has always been segregated by sex (not gender) because of physical differences between the sexes

Yeah, good on Caitlyn for drawing a line on this issue early on. Caitlyn has already shown to not give a crap about single-sex spaces when it comes to bathrooms (and saw fit to finish that video with a rape joke...) so it's good to know Caitlyn has some respect for fairness in sports.

A bit tangential but it's interesting how LGB and T get lumped in together when homosexuals and transexuals have little in common. A transwoman and a gay man might both be treated differently for being males who don't conform to traditional masculinity, but it ends there. Though I guess same sex marriage applies to both, depending on who the transperson in question wishes to marry.

Black and white to some probably, but not to all. I mean, I'm a sports guy myself, been practicing for over 20 years and to me it's not a closed topic nor an easy one.
It's a much complex one. The fact that there are a lot of discussions around it shows it's not an easy topic and there are a lot of emotions around it.
I'm not arguing on whether trans people should be allowed or not, but we just can't brush off such a sensitive social issue by saying "This has always been like that so it can't be changed". Society is changing, perceptions are changing etc So let's all try to listen to what everybody has to say in a gently manner. :blush:

That's the problem though isn't it, as soon as women born as women raise an issue regarding competing against women born as men, they are shut down and called Terfs when really what they want is a level playing field if you will pardon the pun! If it could be discussed at all without the name calling that would be progress

what isnt changing is the size and strength difference between men and women

so im afraid that dictates this

No-one would argue that sports should have barriers to entry such as skill and ability, but sex should also be an accepted barrier. Biological women have no chance against transwomen in competitive sports.

Yet she's competed in female golf tournaments herself. Bit hypocritical.

I think what she's saying is ultimately true, unfortunately. Trans women innately have an unfair advantage in female sport while sadly, trans men will have a disadvantage in male sport.

The only real solution I can think of is to have trans men and women divisions which feels exclusionary and unfeasible atm considering there aren't many trans athletes, but it's the only way I can think of that's fair to all involved. Trans athletes won't have to be excluded from sports because of innate advantages or disadvantages, and cisgendered women won't feel pushed out either.