Thread by @HairyLeggdHarpy

Thread#3 of the GRA debates of 2003/04.

This time, SPORT.

Funnily enough, although the govt argued that all females were to be rendered legally indistinguishable from MalesWithFemalePersonalities 'for all purposes', they DID decide that sports was a bridge too far.

#GRA2004

Moynihan was the Champion of sporting fairness in the GRA debates.

His point? It's one thing to pretend a man is a woman so that he can marry another man. But the pretence that women are no different from men stretched credibility too far, when it came to physical sports.

Moynihan pointed out that Australia had specifically exempted sports from their legislation for this reason. He proposed the same.
"100 compelling arguments why competitive sports should be exempted"

(BTW. Can I mention Hannah Mouncey, pls, Australia? umm)

Moynihan quoted in the debates the responses he had from sporting organisations who had been asked how they felt about males in women's competitive sports.

The responses were such that he had to use "as delicate language as I can"

You'll have to imagine the indelicate language.

Apparently, NOT ONE sporting body wished for anything but an exemption.

Here are some of the sporting bodies who responded to the consultation.

Some of the bodies requested anonymity.

Some were happy to have their responses published. I'll link some below.

Netball wanted an exemption

Amateur Swimming wanted an exemption.

"Imagine the impact upon swimming, and god forbid synchronised swimming"
😁
@ManFRIDAY_ @britishswimming

Badminton wanted an exemption

British Judo didn't mince their words.

"Potentially dangerous"
"The risk of injury would be unacceptably high"

This seems timely.

CYCLING TIME TRIALS.

(they used capital letters. 'MUST' have an exemption)

Volleyball wanted an exemption

Football wanted an exemption.
"physical injury"
"in conflict with the sex discrimination act" (good job we got rid of that, eh)
"changing facilities"

Goodness, got my account restricted there for a moment for tweeting quotes from the House of Lords.
Who knew that was such a revolutionary act?

Anyway, back to business:
Ladies Golf wanted an exemption. From grass roots to elite level.

Lawn Tennis wanted an exemption

Royal & Ancient Golf Club wanted an exemption

Rugby League. Well, duh.

Even Motorsports pointed out the changing rooms issue

In fact, the Central Council for Physical Recreation, which represented 265 sporting bodies in the UK, wanted an exemption.

But here's an especially heartfelt plea for exemption.

The British Paralympic Association.

"grave concerns over the protection of vulnerable adults and children"
"implications for volunteer supervisors"
"in particular...issues presented by a pre-operative individual"

Every sporting body knew this law was unfair, and potentially dangerous to women and children. They all wanted exemptions so that they wouldn't be forced by the law to treat men as if they were women.

And the govt claimed to agree, in fact!

In fact, the govt claimed that "it is perfectly possible ...to discriminate against a transsexual" in sports.
Which is great in theory, except...

Except, as Tebbit pointed out, the law made it impossible to PROVE that the person you are certain is male, IS actually male.

So you can't exclude them. The law states they are female.

I especially enjoy Filkin's response.
"legitimate to make...such enquiries"

HOW?

So despite the best efforts of Moynihan to ensure women's sports and changing rooms remained segregated by sex, and despite the Govt's commitment that sports ARE exempt, it turns out that a GRA exemption that you can't invoke easily is pretty much worthless.

Who knew?
(us)