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Transgendered Athletes
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Transgendered Athletes Recent news story from Connecticut of two High School sprinters who “identify” as Females that won 1st and 2nd in the “Girls” 100 Meter caught my attention for a couple or reasons. First, I admire any person who Proclaims to be Transgendered. It’s a very bold and difficult decision often filled with immense complexities. This is not a decision made easily at any age but certainly even more so as a . But, I have questions about the equality of competing athletically by someone or someones who at this stage is described only as “identifies” as Female but still has the physical attributes of a Male. “Identifies” is really just a state of mind and does not indicate that any actual physical changes have taken place. I don’t know all the details of this specific case and if these two individuals have started any Hormone Replacement Therapy or not. Cisgender Males typically have a much higher level of Testosterone which is the primary hormone in the development of muscle mass and thus strength. Not just arm strength but also leg strength. Cisgender Females have a higher level of Estrogen which does not produce muscle mass. A bigger ass in a Female is not the result of muscle but of fatty tissue. Hormone Replacement reverses these two characteristics. As the suppression of Testosterone occurs, Estrogen can be increased and reaches a higher level thus creating physical changes. Without changes to the levels of these two Hormones, a person retains the physical characteristics they were born with. So, to “identify” is the same as when a cisgender male wants to use the Ladies Room or likes wearing Panties. Nothing has changed other than the mental satisfaction. This is where Connecticut gets it wrong. They allow an individual to compete as “The gender a person identifies as being”. The is no medical or scientific measurement or standard. Connecticut, and several other states also, loosened the athletic competition rules to accommodate anyone who simple “identifies” to be able to jump from one category to another without any qualification other than a simple Say So. This is what truly sets back planned and purposeful Transitioning. It gives unknowing people a wrong image of those who have emotionally struggled through their life time and finally have taken the long held desire for Gender Transition. I suggest a simple Blood Test for those who “Identify” as Female. The Blood Test can measure their Hormonal Levels. When the Hormonal Levels of someone who “Identify” as different from their birth gender reach those of the Cisgendered of that gender and the same age group, we will balance the competition. So, until then in athletic completion, “Boys will be Boys and Girls will be Girls”. Jan BTW, I ran Track in HS and College as a Male. I didn’t begin my Transition until my late 20’s. I still run for exercise occasionally and realize my physical changes have affected the way I run. |
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I agree with the Post, there needs to be standards set for sports to make sure that the competition is on a level playing field. We are still early in the process of integrating transgender people full in our society.
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I was using my personal experience when I suggested a Blood Test so you may be right there may be a more qualitative test today. When I started HRT, which was a slow process, my Doctor monitored my Hormonal levels via Blood Testing every few months in order to know when my Testosterone was low enough to allow the Estrogen dosage to be increased and thus advance my body's Feminization . Jan
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I recall seeing somewhere that a blood test for hormones disqualified cis female athletes from competing. It was some time ago and I don't remember the details, unfortunately. I don't disagree with you but it seems the blood test alone is not enough.
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