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Original poster

The death of women's sports?

86 replies

vicviking · 12/09/2018 13:46

Sorry but seeing the threads on British Gymnastics and Kathleen Stock's comments on the race have made me seriously question what women's sports will look like in 10-15 years from now. We have an obesity crisis; we have women and girls under-exercising (esp once they hit puberty) and we now have a movement that would eventually make it impossible for natal women to win in some sports and leave them more vulnerable to injury in others. There is also the issue of having to share dressing rooms with natal boys/men.

I already decided against enrolling my daughter for gymnastics for a variety of reasons (including safeguarding) but have been considering team sports. I do wonder now about her safety if she starts to have to play against teams with natal boys.

And no I am not a pearl clutcher - I evaluate risk quite carefully. The risks of never being able to win at an individual sport, injury in a team sport and having to share a changing room with a natal boy when would prefer privacy and dignity for her developing body are real. Maybe not now she is so young but with the policies that are being put in place and the creeping acceptance of these nonsensical practices what will women's sport look like when she is at her peak age for performance? Will her and her friends still bother with sport or will these policies have driven women and girls out? Do the governing bodies advocating these policies care?

OP posts:
Original poster
vicviking · 12/09/2018 14:27

Thanks Rosemary. I just wonder if she got all the way to the top and had to play against a natal male knowing she is guaranteed to lose would she do it. Yes she would be kicked out of her sport but my point is in 10-15 years time girls may never win anyway if these policies continue.

OP posts:
Grauniad · 12/09/2018 14:22

One of my son's friends is a fencer (fenceman/fenceperson/something else?). He's not bad for his age, but not near the top of his sport. He was saying laughingly to DS that he 'might identify as a girl for a bit' and see how he got on.

He's a nice lad and he was joking, but is there actually any bar to him doing so? Is there a set time for which someone has to 'girl' before they can enter? A time they have to persist, during an after competition? Even someone who'll say 'Nice try, kid, but nobody's fooled'?

I mean, I assume there is, surely.

TufVoyaging · 12/09/2018 14:21

This is one of the things that got me into all this. I am a low level coach of swimmers, a huge difference in the physical capabilities of boys and girls.

Rosemary46 · 12/09/2018 14:17

If every time a sports woman was up against a natal male she refused to compete that would help. In most cases they will lose anyway. Might as well lose for a principle rather than take part in a situation that is inherently unfair

That won’t work for many sports , because they have to be selected for a team or a member of their national governing body and they will get deselected if they take a stand against their national governing body.

My child plays sport at national level and they are on the perfirmance pathway for that sports . They have to to sign up to a raft of policies and procedures or they will be kicked out. You have to be an individual member of the national body to play in even a very local competition, let alone a national level one.

Original poster
vicviking · 12/09/2018 14:16

Upstart - I think sportswomen who support this are not thinking about the future of their sport.

OP posts:
BarrackerBarmer · 12/09/2018 14:16

I agree that sportswomen need to refuse to cooperate.

At what price comes holding your tongue? You get to be one of the last femalesvin your sport, you validate the destruction of the sport with your participation against a man. And you lose anyway.

Go down with dignity and try to preserve the sport for future generations. Say no.

Original poster
vicviking · 12/09/2018 14:14

Sorry I was arguing with myself there and not Upstart.

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Original poster
vicviking · 12/09/2018 14:13

Sorry I don't see this as an issue for individual sports women to sort out. Their coaches and the infrastructure around them should support these actions as they too lose out due to these policies.

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UpstartCrow · 12/09/2018 14:11

I'm trying to come to terms with how many women support this.

Original poster
vicviking · 12/09/2018 14:09

If every time a sports woman was up against a natal male she refused to compete that would help. In most cases they will lose anyway. Might as well lose for a principle rather than take part in a situation that is inherently unfair.

I know how competitive sports people are and they usually don't do politics but if we continue to accept these incursions then it will end in the death of women's sports.

OP posts:
VickyEadie · 12/09/2018 13:51

I have two young British champions and British record holders in my family. Both dedicate significant time every week (and have done for some years) to training. They are already aware that if boys are allowed to compete with them, they won't win.

Nobody in government seems to care at all. But then, they don't care about the girls' safety and privacy, so why would they give a toss about them being forced out of their sport?

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