It's started in Irish dancing too. 14 year old trans child wins world qualifying event

But if it doesn't matter how did he go from 11th boy not even top 10 to 1st girl? Clearly he either has an advantage or the judges favoured him because he is trans?

Every time this happens, the highest placed non-qualifying female should sue for sex discrimination.

It's an awkward position to be in.. the sport requires females to present in stereotyped costumes, short skirts, wigs, fake tan and makeup on kids as young as 5.. it's like a beauty pagent... and as such I would not usually go out of my way to defend it. I would also question whether there qas evidence of a biological advantage involved.. it's been 40 years since I was anywhere near an Irish dance competition, there were very few male competitors and I have no idea how winners were chosen.

It would be interesting to know the basis of scoring and if it was consistent across the category. Though it would seem from an article I read that males score 900 to win the competition whereas the winning score in the female competition was 700... if this is typical across categories, competitions and years... it would be evidence that there is biological advantage at play.

Alyssa was 11th in the male category earlier in the year (according to an unverified article I read... I took issue with some of the wording used so will not link it) and switched categories to qualify.

It seems a boy or man is more likely to win when we hear of these events

Physical difference aside for something like Irish dancing where it’s not so relevant is there a we want to be seen to do a good thing

Really not good for the girls or women who get bumped down the ranks by males though

I don’t think the organisation should allow him/her to compete in the girls category as he had already competed in the boys! That along with the fact it is a disadvantage to the girls who also work really hard to be there

I just don't believe even a small part of this boy doesn't feel bad about winning, and knowing on some level he does not belong there. Doesn't that taint the win for any of these people?
How can they actually be proud of the "win"?

Normal people would be ashamed to stand on a winners podium having achieved a medal through unfair tactics.

Yet another organisation that doesn't seem compelled to explain why "gender identity" determines which sex-based category someone enters.

That statement said that the IDTANA is committed to “a culture where every dancer, family, teacher, and volunteer feel safe, respected and valued through creating an environment that provides dancers, regardless of age, ability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, income, race or sexual orientation, opportunities to learn and grow as dancers and people.”

When these organisations put out statements like this how do they square what they say with the fact that the girls won't feel safe respected or valued?

It's utterly wrong to dress up kids in 2k dresses and fake tan. If this is a sport then wear a leotard or normal dress.

The dresses used to be longer and heavier with no tulle and they tended to be in green, amber, brown and red with embroidery. Sometimes they were handmade and handed down in the family.

They were beautiful - unlike the tacky crap out there now.

Just read a quote that described them in Dolly Parton's words as "you have to spend a lot of money to look really tacky".

What a shame.

Not the point of the thread, I know, but these little girls and the one boy look like Riverdance dollies. The wig thing gives me the creeps. When did wigs become part of the costume? Why do their dresses need to be so expensive?

Hmm, as a feminist all of this throws huge huge red flags. It's utterly wrong to dress up kids in 2k dresses and fake tan. If this is a sport then wear a leotard or normal dress. Pp has it right in that it is so like drag what difference if a boy or a girl? Agree on the stronger legs giving an advantage but the whole 'sport' is quite dodgy tbf.

Why are you calling him "it"?

TBF he might still have been Elias at that point. But the point about physique still stands.

Why is the winner wearing trousers? Or could they all wear trousers and a boot styled shoe or can they all wear that if they wanted?

In Irish dancing at local feisanna boys and girls do sometimes compete together, as there are really not enough boys to do a separate competition.

But in more serious competition - regionals, nationals etc, the competitions are usually separate.

I thought that one illustrated an obviously male child quite nicely though.

Why is Alyssa dressed differently? Did that give Alyssa an advantage?

Or is it that wearing a dress and doing the dance moves required would be too revealing?

I do despair - the feelings of one trans person has been put ahead of all the other competitors. How can people not see how cruel and unfair this is?