New Zealand weight lifter at the Olympics

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I'm getting on a bit and admit I find the terminology and how you should address Transgender issues confusing but I do know that everyone has choices they make and they should be 100% accepted within our society.
What I struggle with is how a Man who was a weight lifter ,but didn't have the power or skills to be an international weight lifter can identify as a women then compete in the Olympics as a woman weight lifter. Surely this puts weight lifters who were born female and representing their country at a huge disadvantage.
 
I find this really unfair on the women weightlifters and it surely it sets a really bad precedent. This was a top male weightlifter - now 43 years of age and still biologically a male - but having gone through their life in this sport as a male athlete how can they not have anything but a massive advantage in a power sport like weightlifting.
 
It's a very complicated area. Not helped by some of the transphobic comments posted on social media. That said this seems wrong. I fully support this person's desire to live their life in the way they see fit but surely this doesn't feel right even to them? At 43 you would not "normally" be competing at Olympic level in a sport such as weightlifting. They should reconsider whether this is right.
 
Yep. I'm no expert but seems to be all about testosterone levels as to whether athletes like her can compete. But as has been pointed out by critics, there's far more to it than that and for me she definitely has an unfair advantage and is taking the place of an athlete who hasn't had the same advantage, but has probably worked just as hard.

Not without sympathy from an inclusion angle but I just don't see how it's fair or how there is a solution that would be fair.

Also potentially open to abuse. Tennis springs to mind given the equal prize money. A male player ranked 300 in the world makes very little.

But competing as a woman would be challenging for slams easily (if not arguably dominating) and making millions. Sounds like a drastic step to go through a gender transition for it, but people have done more extreme things for fame and fortune.
 
I have a son who has transitioned from a female to male. I can agree with the feeling of it being unfair, but add the following point.
Those who have transitioned take either hormone blockers and or extra testosterone or the female equivalent. This changed my sons physiology and to some extent personality. His shape changed and he added muscle, I am sure that male to female will also change in a similar way. This may go some way to level up the playing field, but would be interesting if they have to go through doping.
 
Boro in Devon said:
This may go some way to level up the playing field, but would be interesting if they have to go through doping.
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I agree but it is hard to see past the fact that at 43 they will (I suspect) also be the oldest competitor in the event, which makes me suspect that there is an unfair advantage.
 
It is nonsense. I am not sure how they can allow this to happen. I feel sorry for the women who will possibly miss out on medals due to this.
 
It’s ludicrous, and I’d even say laughable, it brings a serious subject in to disrepute and why those people involved in transgender equality,associate themselves with ( sorry if I’m using the “ wrong” terms here) men, and it is allways men, who trans into female competitive sport, where ( what a surprise) physical prowess is a distinct advantage beggers belief.
 
I think that a lot of people who go through this process know that there are some things that they wont be able to do in the future. However there are some sports that Male and Female can compete at a similar level i.e. motorsport.
The one thing that a lot of trans people crave is acceptance in their new gender. Therefore they wouldnt want to have a separate classification, so the only answer is to not allow them to compete in a sport where strength is a big factor, at a professional level.
However what do you do with people where their sex is less easy to define, such as the african runner (sorry cant remember their name.
 
Boro in Devon said:
I have a son who has transitioned from a female to male. I can agree with the feeling of it being unfair, but add the following point.
Those who have transitioned take either hormone blockers and or extra testosterone or the female equivalent. This changed my sons physiology and to some extent personality. His shape changed and he added muscle, I am sure that male to female will also change in a similar way. This may go some way to level up the playing field, but would be interesting if they have to go through doping.
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Do the hormones and testosterone medicines have an effect on muscle mass?

Genuinely don't know.
 
People need to accepted for who they are.

people transition because they conform to what is perceived as the norm. I must be male or female.
 
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Transgender issues are deeply complex aren't they? I can't formulate or articulate a strong view on these issues because I lack the understanding or knowledge to have the right to do that. My gut instinct on this though is very similar to @Muttley in that this feels wrong. There is an inevitable advantage to this individual competing against women. I am no expert but I assume that no matter what hormone treatment is given there would remain significant physical advantages. It cannot be fair and just in a sports environment.
 
Adi_Dem said:
Transgender issues are deeply complex aren't they? I can't formulate or articulate a strong view on these issues because I lack the understanding or knowledge to have the right to do that. My gut instinct on this though is very similar to @Muttley in that this feels wrong. There is an inevitable advantage to this individual competing against women. I am no expert but I assume that no matter what hormone treatment is given there would remain significant physical advantages. It cannot be fair and just in a sports environment.
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I think you summed up my thoughts exactly . A very complex issue but this just doesnt seem right
 
Randy said:
Do the hormones and testosterone medicines have an effect on muscle mass?

Genuinely don't know.
Click to expand...
Yes,
Female bodies contain more oestrogen which means they have a higher body fat %, grow breasts and have hips. For a female to male, this is firstly blocked so they dont go through a female puberty or if they have, their periods stop happening.
Male bodies contain more testosterone, this creates muscle, less body fat, beards and hair loss. For a female to male, this is introduced later to build a more masculine body. This is also what athletes try to achieve an increase in due to diet, drugs etc.

So a male to female would want to block as much testosterone and increase oestrogen, so this will decrease the amount of muscle mass, and stop beard growth, reduce the adams apple etc.
 
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