Delighted that my research article 'Female Olympians’ voices: Female sports categories and International Olympic Committee Transgender guidelines' is just published in the International Review for the Sociology of Sport:
I would like to thank nineteen female Olympic athletes for taking the time to generously contribute
to this research since without them this work would not have been possible.
'These Olympians agreed with the IOC’s overarching fairness principle but, in common with some ex-elite transwomen athletes, did not think evidence regarding
male advantage mitigation via testosterone suppression supports IOC 2015 transgender
guidelines.'
'Further, they did not accept fairness for females should be subordinated to inclusion for transwomen, and consequently regarded IOC guidelines as unfit for purpose.'
'Justice entails the recognition of females as equal moral agents, also and at the same time with distinctly
female sexed bodies, in order that the fastest highest and strongest females are celebrated at elite and Olympic levels.'
In the words of two athletes:
‘Our human rights to equal opportunities (are) not being protected’
‘Why don’t women matter?’
@iocmedia
The main findings include (1) these athletes thought both female and transgender athletes should be fairly included in elite sport, (2) unanimous agreement there is not enough scientific evidence to show no competitive advantage for transwomen...
...(3) unanimous agreement that the IOC should revisit the rules and scientific evidence for transgender inclusion in female categories, and (4) the majority of athletes felt that they could not ask questions or discuss this issue without being accused of transphobia.
Congratulations on your new role overseeing sport. As a @UKLabour member & sports academic please uphold girls & women's right to single sex sport. The female category is the inclusion measure for females. Without it, male advantage relegates females to second place. 1/
Our female sports participants & our elite female athletes need reassurance that you will ensure the adoption of Section 195 of the Equality Act permitting single sex sport & activities of a competitive nature. Not to do so is indirect sex discrimination. 2/
At the moment, sports have been allowed to 'choose' whether or not they will discriminate against female sports participants & elite athletes, by permitting males with transgender identities to compete in female sport. This is unacceptable. 3/
'JK Rowling said she would struggle to support the party because of its stance on transgender rights.'
No she didn't.
She said:
'Labour remains dismissive and often offensive of women’s concerns about sex-based rights'.
Womens rights.
Not trans rights. theguardian.com/books/article/…
This telling sleight of hand from 'womens rights' to 'trans rights' is indicative of the hierarchy of rights for @guardian & 'leave you views at the door' @BBCNews.
Couldn't be clearer whose rights matter more 2 these outlets.
Let's not let the truth get in the way of the spin.
This immediate over-writing of women's rights with trans rights is what creates a 'culture war'. The Guardian & BBC are doing it. Please stop. Report honestly, factually & clearly the concerns many women, including women on the liberal left have about women's rights.
Labour's Wes Streeting:
'We will not allow anything in conversion therapy legislation that stops medical professionals delivering the holistic care that Dr Cass rightly says we need.' 1/
Great interview @roseveniceallan
via @YouTube
'Hilary Cass's Review shows...we need more open conversations, especially with young people...presenting to their GP or to medical services... [with] questions...about their identity...they get the holistic care that enables those exploratory open-minded conversations'. 2/
'If you've got a young person who is questioning their gender identity the most important thing is to create a safe environment in which they can share how they're feeling'. 3/
Labour Party Manifesto Highlights: sex and gender.
'We will work to implement the expert recommendations of the Cass Review to ensure that young people presenting to the NHS with gender dysphoria are receiving appropriate and high-quality care'.
Excellent. 1/
'Labour is proud of our Equality Act and the rights and protections it affords women; we will continue to support the implementation of its single-sex exceptions.'
Excellent. 2/
'We will also modernise, simplify, and reform the intrusive and outdated gender recognition law to a new process.'
But...
'Whilst retaining the need for a diagnosis of gender dysphoria from a specialist doctor'.
Much better that self ID.
But 2 specialists were better than 1. 3/
The IOC 'Portrayal Guidelines' released ahead of the Paris Olympics are breathtakingly sexist, & complete propaganda.
According to @iocmedia:
'TERMS TO AVOID: “born male”, “born female”, “biologically male”,
“biologically female”, “genetically male”, “genetically female”'. 1/
As we all know, the IOC is primarily banning the language needed to accurately & factually describe males who identify as transgender. These athletes are born male, are biologically & genetically male & are permitted by the IOC to compete in female categories. 2/
Feminist academics analyse the power relations between the sexes. Which are clear as the day is long here. Primarily male IOC bureaucrats are mandating that male athletes cannot be called males in order to facilitate their inclusion in female sport. This is 21C patriarchy. 3/
How some male climbers want female climbing too.
'Fiore (male who identifies as trans) says it was important to separate the issue at hand—a policy that harms trans people—from transphobic hand-wringing around “fairness” in sports.'
FFS. Where to begin? 1/
@USAClimbing
I get it. Males who want to climb in female categories need us to ignore the gross unfairness.
But if males always get what they want, at the expense of females, we call that patriarchy. Sex discrimination.
I've done a fair bit of climbing. This is personal. 2/
Let's start. Climbing is hugely male dominated. So a small % of male climbers transitioning into the female category makes a disproportionately large impact. Before we get anywhere near the sex-related performance gap. 3/