Maxine Blythin - 2019 Kent Woman Player of the Year

I do gymnastics. I don’t see any advantage for men competing in the female event apart from the fact that females have fewer events. But the asymmetric bars and balance beam would not appeal to most men and may actually disadvantage them. Men are naturally less flexible than women and I would wonder about centre of gravity/balance...and they’re generally a bit ungainly and would be hugely disadvantaged by their weight on those pieces. I can’t see it working out. Plus they’d look stupid 😂

I think us women should refuse to play, set up our own races, matches and games and leave the men's b teams and failed male betas to it.

Others joining this debate on Twitter have drawn attention to the American college (trans) athlete who was named 'female athlete of the month' - after coming SECOND in a cross country race. To a woman.

Apart from Roller derby, are any ‘traditional’ women’s sports in the same situation (gymnastics?). I seem to remember a ballet dancer.

Great quote from Dr Nic Williams in the Daily Mail article.

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7369619/Kent-transgender-cricketer-reignites-row-allowed-play-womens-sports.html

I'd probably get a strike if I quoted it here

No coincidence at all that this sort of thing is happening now the women's sport is garnering recognition and there are some professional, paid positions available. So certain people obviously feel it's now worth sauntering in and capitalising.

As one of the btl comments says pithily, it's just isn't cricket.

Ha! Just catching up on Twitter and saw Martina's tweet, googled the cricketer and this thread is the first hit! The photos, the 1.83cm height, really what more needs to be said??? Article from Australia about it here

Every day is peak-trans day

Responses to Kent's tweet

So depressing.

Yes I agree with Martina but I would go further and say anyone born male can never compete as a female in sport regardless of transition.

My pleasure to copy you in on the divine Martina 🥰

Meanstreak baroness Heyhoe Flint sadly passed in 2017. I imagine she'd have been unimpressed, I was lucky enough to know her.

Lord can you provide the link to Martina's comments?

Either they're just fucking trolling us now.

But. Maybe, Kent Cricket, maybe you're not such a troll?

Because this isn't going to go as well as it might have a year or so ago!

Now we've moved on from #nodebate, this is properly being talked about.

Martina isn’t impressed! 🥰

But apparently, "rights aren't like pie, it doesn't mean women lose things if TW gain more rights".

YES. IT. FUCKING. DOES.

Agreed of course, but the TRA position is that Blythin is a woman and always has been, so women have not lost anything. Any argument we use against this will be met by "But she is a woman".
Clearly crap, but it shifts the whole area of debate.

This is so horribly depressing. Fuckers.

Maxine peak trans-ed me. (Is that what it's called?). Am glad there's been an onslaught tonight on Twitter about this because I know a lot of parents who read the KentCC account.

FFS. How anyone can look at this and see fair play is beyond me if you’re a teen girl what message does this send? No point trying. Sport is not for you. Gives me the rage

Oh FFS! They're kidding, right? Can't women and girls have anything for ourselves?

Fucking bloody hell!! I’m from Kent originally and used to go to all their games. Well they can whistle for that now. Only good thing is it’s all grist to the mill for peak transing ppl

But apparently, "rights aren't like pie, it doesn't mean women lose things if TW gain more rights".

YES. IT. FUCKING. DOES.

Yeah what is the point

For girls

Starting out in sport

I only saw that too, recently. I think these awards only happen well after the season ends, so it went quietly by.. the KentCC have a twitter account (news of the award had 2 likes I think) and I have seen a few tweets where KentCC and corresponding district teams have been added to articles about trans women playing in sport (mainly I think linking Fair Play for Women articles). Maxine has a habit of blocking people very swiftly (perhaps uses the 80,000 strong block list) but from what I've seen there is no nastiness as we have from our favourite cyclist. Batting average does differ between playing for the men's and women's teams (as happened last summer, playing as Max and Maxine) by approx 100 runs . I know for a fact there is some very quiet unrest and girls in the Kent CC U15s have been known to say "what's the point" (in them
Training).
Testosterone levels aren't tested at County level. Not that that matters, physical attributes speak volumes.

Bloody hell. Taking the p. Have they no shame?

Good, that sentence was hard to write without getting banned