Thread by @fairplaywomen

This morning @BBCWomansHour had transwoman Joanna Harper on to talk about the science behind whether its fair for male-born trans athletes to compete in female category. You can list to a clip of the show here /1

fairplayforwomen.com/wp-content/upl…

@BBCWomansHour Tl:dr from JH = "Paucity of data" and "Transwomen retain muscle strength and are stronger that ciswomen"

@Emmabarnett "So when the IOC made this decision they are basing it on nothing then?" "Can it be deemed correct if it's not based on evidence?" /2

@BBCWomansHour @Emmabarnett JH "The Olympics take place every 4 years and they needed to make rule on transgender athletes - so they needed to do something - we had 25 people meet in 2015 and we reached a consensus that this was the best way forward"

EB: "But based on what if you haven't got any data?" /3

@BBCWomansHour @Emmabarnett JH: "It's less than ideal. But the games were happening [in 2016] and they needed some regulation for transgender athletes and so we met and reviewed the science that existed and we made a decision"

EM: "Some people feel that less than ideal is just unfair" /4

EB: "Have the IOC made a mistake?"

JH "I don't believe so. It is possible that history will show this is a less than ideal situation. But I don't think its a mistake " /5

This interview demonstrates the problem. The decision COULD have been that female sport should be reserved for female sex until we get the data. Only admit TW once there's evidence their male advantage has been eliminated. That was never on the table /6

fairplayforwomen.com/emma_hilton/

In 2019 sixty world class GB athletes wrote to the IOC

"we ask the IOC to suspend its transgender guidelines regarding the eligibility of male-born transgender athletes into female competition pending further scientific study and analysis" /7

fairplayforwomen.com/athletes-ask-i…

Woman's Hour said at the end they had invited female athletes to come onto the show to talk about it. No one was available. This is because women can't speak up without getting accused on transphobia or being unkind /8

Unfortunately the scientists who do know about this stuff and have the courage to speak up were not invited on to counter JH's claims. Hopefully they will get their opportunity in the future /9

@FondOfBeetles @AskNic @Scienceofsport