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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Transgender women to be banned from all female Olympic events

383 replies

Misla · 10/11/2025 11:54

About time!!

IOC likely to announce new policy early in new year after findings of a scientific review about the permanent physical advantages of being born male

The International Olympic Committee is set to announce a ban on transgender women in female competition early next year after a science-based review of evidence about permanent physical advantages of being born male.

The IOC’s guidance to Olympic sports has until now been that transgender women can compete with reduced testosterone levels but leaves it up to individual sports to decide. That is now set to change under its new president, Kirsty Coventry, who has promised to protect the female category.

The committee’s medical and scientific director, Dr Jane Thornton, last week presented to IOC members at a meeting in Lausanne the initial findings of a science-based review into the issues of transgender athletes and athletes with differences of sexual development (DSD) competing in female sport.

Free-to-read link: https://archive.is/kGpyI

Transgender women to be banned from all female Olympic events

Transgender women to be banned from all female Olympic events

IOC likely to announce new policy early in new year after findings of a scientific review about the permanent physical advantages of being born male

https://www.thetimes.com/sport/olympics/article/olympic-ioc-transgender-athlete-ban-womens-sports-zhlpfll3b

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miniaturepixieonacid · 10/11/2025 16:26

ThatCyanCat · 10/11/2025 16:17

No, it's completely misleading. It's untrue. Trans people have not been banned from anything. Men are fully banned the women's division. It's irrelevant if they identify as trans or not. Trans identified men can compete in their correct sex class. Non binary and trans identified women can still compete as women as long as they aren't taking T.

Many people don't read past the headline. It needs to be accurate and saying trans people are banned is simply false. They can compete under exactly the same rules as everyone else. Trans identity is irrelevant.

I think the majority of transmen do take testosterone, though. And so, quite rightly transwomen and the majority of transmen are barred from women's sport. So I can't see any issue with the headline, it's true. And appropriate. I have no sympathy with a biological woman taking testosterone trying to get into a woman's sport at all. I doubt they'd even want to, in fact.

Not the nonsense that is non binary (but I think non binary athletes of both sexes would happily compete in the correct sex, they know that they're men or women, it's just gender fluff).

Maybe things have changed to the point that most transmen don't take testosterone. But I don't think so. A quick google suggests the majority still do.

Talkinpeace · 10/11/2025 16:24

Guardian still not mentioning it at all

BBC as of now only on the sport page, not news

JoshLymanSwagger · 10/11/2025 16:23

BonfireLady · 10/11/2025 14:16

Looking forward already to seeing how the BBC will report this. One of

a) not at all
b) smallest mention as a footnote to another story
c) it's all so complicated and we just don't know enough yet. "Let's take a look at the facts so far".... selectively, obviously... followed by an interview with a TW about how upsetting it all is to be erased from society

Edited

or, this=>

d) We're being sued by Donald Trump for over 50yrs worth of Strictly. We are applying for jobs at Sky and GBNews don't GAF about this shit anymore.

ThatCyanCat · 10/11/2025 16:17

miniaturepixieonacid · 10/11/2025 16:06

I don't think they would - or not all of them anyway? If they're on testosterone then wouldn't they also have too much added advantage to take part? Drug tests are very strict.

Nonbinary female athletes could and probably would compete in women's events. But I don't think a lot of transmen could so 'trans athletes' seems fair enough for a headline descriptor to me. Going into detail can be done in the body of an article.

Good news, anyway.

Edited

No, it's completely misleading. It's untrue. Trans people have not been banned from anything. Men are fully banned the women's division. It's irrelevant if they identify as trans or not. Trans identified men can compete in their correct sex class. Non binary and trans identified women can still compete as women as long as they aren't taking T.

Many people don't read past the headline. It needs to be accurate and saying trans people are banned is simply false. They can compete under exactly the same rules as everyone else. Trans identity is irrelevant.

Helleofabore · 10/11/2025 16:12

WallaceinAnderland · 10/11/2025 16:08

Someone posted a link to a list of places for women in sports that were taken by men. Not just the olympics but all sports.

It showed where women would have placed, what records they would have maintained or broken, if men had not been allowed to compete in the female category. Some of course lost their chance to compete at all.

It was a hugely, hugely long list. Just went on forever. Absolutely astonishing the number of women who have been displaced from their own category by men.

https://hecheated.org

this one?

HeCheated.org

A Record of Male Athletes in Female Sport

https://hecheated.org

WallaceinAnderland · 10/11/2025 16:08

Someone posted a link to a list of places for women in sports that were taken by men. Not just the olympics but all sports.

It showed where women would have placed, what records they would have maintained or broken, if men had not been allowed to compete in the female category. Some of course lost their chance to compete at all.

It was a hugely, hugely long list. Just went on forever. Absolutely astonishing the number of women who have been displaced from their own category by men.

Sequinsoneverythingplease · 10/11/2025 16:08

This nonsense has been going on since 2015 - it’s what peaked me, the IOC regs allowing TIMs to complete against women. Ten years, the actual career span for many elite athletes. There will be women whose entire careers began, peaked and came to an end during that time, and all the while they had to compete against and/or be displaced by those cheating men. Think also of the stress, of wondering if all this training was for nothing because there might be a man in make up at the race or event when they arrived to compete. They’ll never get that time back. They’ll never achieve what they might have. It’s an absolute disgrace. I could cry thinking about it.

MeridianB · 10/11/2025 16:07

SilenceInside · 10/11/2025 11:55

Bloody ridiculous that they needed a scientific review to figure this out....

This. They clearly wanted someone else to give them permission.

Isayitasitis · 10/11/2025 16:07

I'm not anti trans but I am against males in women's sports. Due to scientific reasons, it would always be unfair so I welcome this decision.

miniaturepixieonacid · 10/11/2025 16:06

mackerella · 10/11/2025 13:02

Aargh, I wish they wouldn't use headlines like this! It's not "trans athletes" who are being barred from women's events, but specifically transwomen (as the Times article reported correctly). Presumably trans men are still theoretically able to compete in women's events (although whether they would want to is another matter).

I don't think they would - or not all of them anyway? If they're on testosterone then wouldn't they also have too much added advantage to take part? Drug tests are very strict.

Nonbinary female athletes could and probably would compete in women's events. But I don't think a lot of transmen could so 'trans athletes' seems fair enough for a headline descriptor to me. Going into detail can be done in the body of an article.

Good news, anyway.

Jollyhockeystickss · 10/11/2025 16:06

Sharon Davies has worked bloody hard for this about bloody time,

ParmaVioletTea · 10/11/2025 16:05

About bloody time.

Of course, they need to hook men and boys out of women & girls' sports from the lowest of the recreational ranks to the heights ofCounty & National competitions. How can girls become Olympians if they allow boys in girls' competitions early on?

PinkPonyClubDancer · 10/11/2025 16:04

great news!

JamieCannister · 10/11/2025 15:59

lifeturnsonadime · 10/11/2025 12:08

This is good news.

The fact that men were ever able to compete in the female category is beyond me.

Hopefully people like AOC will now be forced to apologise to Riley Gaines for suggesting that women just need to work harder.

Misogyny, stupidity, idiocy, and stupid misogynistic brainwashed cult thinking would be the top 4 possible reasons, IMHO

RoamingToaster · 10/11/2025 15:54

WallaceinAnderland · 10/11/2025 15:43

Even if no medals are won by TIM, they still shouldn't be in the female category because they are male.

It's so easy, there was no need for any scientific investigations or reports. Are you female? Yes - compete in the female category. No - compete in the male category.

This! I think from most people outside the world of sports we just focus on those winning medals but people have different goals. Competing in the Olympics is an achievement for some women even though they know they’re unlikely to win a medal. Depriving them is so unfair.

UtopiaPlanitia · 10/11/2025 15:51

Beowulfa · 10/11/2025 12:05

Ridiculous that it had to go to "scientific review", but useful to have the evidence there in black and white for the women should just train harder types.

Yes, exactly!

There was no inclination to have a scientific review when they wanted to allow males to compete against females but there does apparently definitely have to be one to stop males competing against females 🙄😡

SidewaysOtter · 10/11/2025 15:51

WallaceinAnderland · 10/11/2025 15:43

Even if no medals are won by TIM, they still shouldn't be in the female category because they are male.

It's so easy, there was no need for any scientific investigations or reports. Are you female? Yes - compete in the female category. No - compete in the male category.

And they don't even need to be trans-identified. IIRC Imane Khelif did not and does not identify as trans, he just says he is a woman with a DSD.

He won gold at the last Olympics, having punched women (at least one of whom withdrew for her own safety) in order to do it.

Happyjoe · 10/11/2025 15:47

Let's hope it soon applies to all sporting bodies.

WallaceinAnderland · 10/11/2025 15:43

Even if no medals are won by TIM, they still shouldn't be in the female category because they are male.

It's so easy, there was no need for any scientific investigations or reports. Are you female? Yes - compete in the female category. No - compete in the male category.

Northquit · 10/11/2025 15:42

Someone's handing the naked emperor a towel.

Helleofabore · 10/11/2025 15:42

Just a reminder of the Olympic journey :

1992 - Dr. Arne Ljungqvist becomes a member of the IOC and continue5 to date an educational program to inform the IOC about scientific and
ethical issues related to laboratory-based gender verification.

1996 - Most major professional medical societies have passed resolutions against chromosome-based gender screening in sports.

1996-1997 - IOC World Congress on Woman and Sport passes a resolution to abandon gender verification at the Olympics. Women's Sports Foundation
publishes a policy statement against blanket chromosome screening in support of IAAF model. The Norwegian parliament outlaws gender verification in sport. The IOC Medical Commission is unconvinced and the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games is contractually committed to on-site, laboratory-based, gender veritication of all female althletes competing in women's events.

1997-1998 - Arguments for and against change are presented to the IOC Athlete Commission by Professor A. Liungqvist and Dr. B. Dingeon, respectively. Prince de Merode and Dr. Hay argue for their original policy of blanket gender verification at IOC-sponsored sporting events. Athletes Commission nonetheless calls for the discontinuation of the present system and rccommenda replacing it with a "reserve clause" system based on IOC Medical Commission intervention on an individualized basis, following scientific and ethical guidelines.

1999 - IOC Executive Board accepts unanimous recommendations of its Athletes Commission. Blanket gender verification screening of all female
athletes will not be conducted at the 2000 Millennia1 Games in Sydney, on a conditional basis for later review.

Importantly, for the 1996 Atlanta Olympics they surveyed the female athletes and found:

"At the time of testing, all female athletes at the Atlanta Games were offered a questionnaire written in both English and French asking whether in their view testing of females should be continued in future Olympics and whether or not
they were made anxious by the testing procedure. Of the 928 athletes who responded, 82% felt that testing should be continued and 94% indicated that they were not made anxious by the procedure. Forty-six athletes were made "anxious" by the testing requirements that preceded their competitive events.

No males were found to masquerade as females, and all females who were found to be SRY positive competed."

"Of the 928 athletes who responded, 82% felt that testing should be continued"

www.nature.com/articles/gim2000258.pdf?origin=ppub&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_source=commission_junction&utm_campaign=CONR_PF018_ECOM_GL_PHSS_ALWYS_DEEPLINK&utm_content=textlink&utm_term=PID100045542&CJEVENT=f4d4c8630a0411ed831b01a80a1c0e11

2003 - Stockholm Consensus proposal

"In 2003, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Medical Commission, claiming guidance from “the best information available at the time,” decided to allow male transsexuals to compete in the women’s category. This decision was contingent upon several conditions to ensure fairness: a) the removal of their testes at least two years prior to competition; b) legal recognition as “female”; and c) hormone profiles aligned with those of natal females."

archive.today/F5HFc

2004 - May 2004 they announce that they will allowed male people who surgically removed their testes to compete in female competition. Because once you allow one group of male people in, you must equally allow the other in or you are discriminating against transgender people.

https://olympics.com/ioc/news/ioc-approves-consensus-with-regard-to-athletes-who-have-changed-sex-1

2015 -Then in 2015, a campaign group including Harper, using Harper’s flawed study (see nequals8.com web site) convinces the IOC that it is unfair discrimination to exclude any male with a transgender identity describing themselves as a woman. The IOC changes the policy to allow them.

https://nequals8.com

^https://cgscholar.com/bookstore/works/race-times-for-transgender-athletes^

https://stillmed.olympic.org/Documents/Commissions_PDFfiles/Medical_commission/2015-11_ioc_consensus_meeting_on_sex_reassignment_and_hyperandrogenism-en.pdf

2016 -Then came the Rio trio in the female 800m and we start to see the testosterone suppression of the male people with DSDs come in. Semenya takes this to court in 2019. Appealed 2020. The evidence presented confirmed 5ARD and testosterone of 21 nmol/L.

2021 - 2020 Tokyo games held in 2021 was the testosterone suppressed games. Hubbard, a late 40 something male in female event where next youngest was probably a decade and a half younger, shines light on the issue.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/jul/29/ioc-praises-weightlifter-laurel-hubbard-ahead-of-transgender-athletes-olympic-debut

The IOC reacts by announcing a review.

The new guidelines released Nov 2021 devolve responsibility for policy to each discipline’s international federation. ie. They force the sporting federations to make the hard decisions that the IOC refuse to make.

https://stillmed.olympics.com/media/Documents/Beyond-the-Games/Human-Rights/IOC-Framework-Fairness-Inclusion-Non-discrimination-2021.pdf#_ga=2.219716894.621299853.1686571450-594927581.1678187184

They also reaffirm that 'inclusivity' is their over all priority. They say that safety is as well, but this is clearly contradictory when you consider boxing as an example.

The IOC is clear that they RECOGNISE that the inclusion of male athletes will be UNFAIR but their priority is inclusion. Richard Budgett said this.
The federations then develop their own policies. that have done this are : FINA, WA, UCI, IBA and WR. FIFA for instance announced a review years ago and done nothing. IBA announced their new policy in 22/23.

The WA have even stated that their new guidelines for the Olympics immediately excluded 13 males with DSDs with testosterone advantage from the competitions until those 13 male athletes chose to reduce their testosterone to 2.5 nmol/L for 2 years. 13 just in athletics competitions alone! (By the way, this reduction has already been shown to not eliminate unfair male advantage, but this is where we are at the moment.)

By the IOC removing the IBA from organising the boxing, the IOC left boxing only with the IOC inclusive guidelines.

So, we know from the announcement by Budgett from IOC in November 2021 that fairness was a lower priority to inclusion. It was along the lines of ‘we know it is unfair to include male people with pubertal advantage, but inclusion is our aim.’

And the IOC and other organisations still claim that Semenya is a 'female with naturally high testosterone' to this day. Despite the world being easily able to find the evidence presented to the CAS that Semenya is MALE with 5-ARD and had tested with a testosterone level of 21nmol/L. NO female has that level and is healthy. They are likely to be gravely ill.

And now we have some sunlight and we await official confirmation.

https://stillmed.olympic.org/Documents/Commissions_PDFfiles/Medical_commission/2015-11_ioc_consensus_meeting_on_sex_reassignment_and_hyperandrogenism-en.pdf

EstherGreenwood63 · 10/11/2025 15:41

Thank fuck for that.

ChateauMargaux · 10/11/2025 15:39

I have not read all of the replies - but this reporting is terrible - it is not about banning transgender women - it is about defining the female category by sex and enforcing that rule. - and yes - I know you all know!

GRRRRR

SidewaysOtter · 10/11/2025 15:24

Good. It's about bloody time, but far too late for all the female athletes who've been pushed out of medals and places by men.

RoyalCorgi · 10/11/2025 15:23

This is such good news, but does anyone else feel really angry that it's taken so long, and that we've had to work so bloody hard for something which is just basic common sense?