By: Ethan May
Columbia, MO (October 21, 2014) – Our world commonly characterizes sports by gender.
In high school students commonly refer to it as the ‘boys’ soccer team or the ‘girls’ basketball team.
This difference is made even larger on international stages such as the Olympics.
Besides, it’s only fair that men and women are separated for certain events because of their biological differences in muscle mass and other key components. Right?
What happens if someone identifies with both genders?
It is a question that has been haunting the sports world for many years.
An article posted by the Huffington Post this year stated, “In 2004, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) clarified the guidelines for participation for transgender athletes. The IOC rule states that participation is based on sex, and those wishing to compete against athletes not of their birth sex are required to undergo sex reassignment surgery along with two years of either testosterone suppression or testosterone supplementation.”
Essentially, a transgender athlete must pick one single gender and have all the characteristics of it in every way to compete.
Is this morally correct?
Many opinions circulate around this topic.
Some say that transgender athletes should only compete against other transgender athletes. They say that the drugs they take to go from one gender to the other create an uneven playing field.
There is often criticism when males turned female are allowed to compete in male events. Critics say that the male body the athlete grew up with was simply biologically superior making the playing field uneven.
Others are more than happy with the way it is and see the playing field being equal after the two years have gone by.
It’s a tough topic for many reasons. Almost too many to list.
In March of 2014, a transgender woman sued a fitness company who was running a competition after they prohibited her from competing in a strength competition as a woman.
According to CNN, a personal trainer from California sued CrossFit Games because she has been recognized as a woman since 2006 after reassignment surgery and hormone therapy.
The company claimed their rules require all athletes to compete as the sex they were born.
In a letter to Jonsson’s attorney, CrossFit stated, “The fundamental, ineluctable fact is that a male competitor who has a sex reassignment procedure still has a genetic makeup that confers a physical and physiological advantage over women.”
How do you feel about the subject?? Should Jonsson be allowed to compete as a woman? Should the Olympics change their current stance? Let me know!
Ethan May 