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Original poster

To ask why people this Laurel the weightlifter will win?

410 replies

PollyPopa · 31/07/2021 19:30

She's biologically male obviously but also hasn't got as good a personal best as some of the other (biologically female) competitors

Just wondering, that's all! I don't agree she should be in that competition either by the way but nothing to say she will win since her personal best isn't as great as some of the others

OP posts:
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9
Janaih · 01/08/2021 09:25

As a boxing coach I'm very concerned about this. It could cause serious injuries.
Funny how there are no trans women in gymnastics or dressage etc.... or as far as I know any trans men competing in any male events. Strange!
Janice Turner wrote an excellent piece in the Times yesterday as ever.

Anotherhill · 01/08/2021 09:26

Trifle cat - I looked up the committee once who decided this. It consisted of something like 1 trans woman, 1 intersex XY woman, 16 men and 3 women.

OneTC · 01/08/2021 09:26

Hubbard already has won unfortunately

Lockdownbear · 01/08/2021 09:27

I actually hope she wins to bring the whole ludicrous trans situation to a head. Focus the minds of many. The sooner it comes to a head the better as far as I am concerned.

The IOC have said they'll review the categories in a few months. Well they should have thought about it first place.

DrSbaitso · 01/08/2021 09:30

@Janaih

As a boxing coach I'm very concerned about this. It could cause serious injuries. Funny how there are no trans women in gymnastics or dressage etc.... or as far as I know any trans men competing in any male events. Strange! Janice Turner wrote an excellent piece in the Times yesterday as ever.
Fallon Fox already cracked the skull of a woman who didn't even know Fox was trans. Here is Fox's response to it, which doesn't sound like any violent misogynistic man, oh no.
To ask why people this Laurel the weightlifter will win?
clickychicky · 01/08/2021 09:34

If she meets the rules she can compete. Doesn't mean the rules are fair, I don't know enough to comment on that. But she's in the competition so if she wins it is a win.

clickychicky · 01/08/2021 09:35

I'm not sure it will have as much value as a win though as a lot of people think she shouldn't be allowed to compete.

Yousexybugger · 01/08/2021 09:37

limeredbanana I actually think it would be better for the cause if LH didn't win. The argument could then continue, centred on the point that it's unfair she/ other trans women are in the female competition in the first place, due to biological advantages and safety issues as Janiah mentions, rather than concerns about who takes the medals.

I was heartened to see Margaret Wambui recently suggest a third category for athletes including transwomen and those with DSDs. At least one major athlete in this position is not just pretending they can't see the problem.

ChaToilLeam · 01/08/2021 09:38

Laurel is a shameless fucking cheat. The IOC has completely lost the plot.

“She” 😡

Yousexybugger · 01/08/2021 09:39

Sorry, first para was also meant to say male bodied athletes, so trans women and those with DSDs.

CovidCorvid · 01/08/2021 09:40

@mamaoffourdc

It's not cheating though - regardless of your views - she has met all the rules/restrictions that the IOC have put in place Your anger needs to be at the IOC not her!
The IOC didn’t just wake up one morning and think oh I know we’ll let trans people compete in women’s categories. This came about after pressure from the trans community.

And just because something is allowed doesn’t mean you have to do it. A decent person would have realised this is wrong and cheating.

Doesn’t even Caitlin Jenner say it’s wrong? They certainly used to but I know we’re getting grief over it so may well have rolled over by now.

Chickenyhead · 01/08/2021 09:43

So the IOC a bunch of men, decide what evidence to choose and what evidence to to exclude in judging how handicapped a man has to be to be a woman.

Nice.

Hoppinggreen · 01/08/2021 09:44

It doesn’t matter if Lauren wins or comes last by a huge margin.
The point is Lauren shouldn’t even be in the competition

Jellycatspyjamas · 01/08/2021 09:44

She might have been the best her country had to send? Just because her PB isn't as good as the other competitors doesn't mean she can't try. I mean, its unlikely she'll win anything then too.

Of course someone who went through male puberty, and trained as a male for most of their life will be better than women who don’t have the increased muscle mass and testosterone levels (which even at the levels required by the IOC are higher than you find in women) will be better than women in a strength competition. She’s taken a place from a woman of colour who trained all her life for this event, it’s absolutely scandalous regardless of whether they win.

Whatwouldscullydo · 01/08/2021 09:46

I dont think that they will win. Its not in their best interests to win.

What ever happens though a woman lost out. And she's the one I care about. Lh is a cheat.

HereticFanjo · 01/08/2021 09:47

The IOC should be utterly ashamed. Instead they are doubling down and saying how proud they are of Laurel. This is the kind of thing dickheads in over their heads do all the time - they don't apologise, they don't re-evaluate, they just affirm and affirm and hope it all goes away.

A woman of colour who should have been at the Olympics has been denied a place so the biological son of a rich white man could be there (born a son, a son until 'Laurel' was in their thirties). It is nauseating. If you think otherwise, go and take a long hard look at yourself in the fucking mirror.

And if you're only just starting to understand why #BeKind is not the answer here, I recommend reading Trans by Helen Joyce or skipping over to the FWR boards so the scales can fall from your eyes.

tumbletastic · 01/08/2021 09:47

I don't think LH will win.

I think this is a strategic move. It lowers our expectations of what trans women athletes can do so that in 4 years time there will be more of them on more teams across the world and when they start winning medals we will be so far down the rabbit hole it will be accepted.

I'm cynical by nature though.

TidyDancer · 01/08/2021 09:50

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KohlaParasanda · 01/08/2021 09:50

It's highly likely that Laurel Hubbard won't win. The intention is that Hubbard should be the thin end of the wedge that breaks women's sport rather than the stick of dynamite that blows it apart. But it's absolutely certain that Roviel Detenamo, the young woman from Nauru who was displaced from being at the competition because of Hubbard's selection, won't have a chance of winning or even experiencing the excitement of going to Tokyo and standing on the Olympic stage. The injustice has already had consequence.

Theeyeballsinthesky · 01/08/2021 09:51

Hubbard isn’t going to win, that really needs to be understood

The comparison for Hubbard isbt a fit 20 something female weight lifter, it’s a middle aged slightly unfit recently injured middle aged woman. Do you think a woman like that would be in the Olympic weightlifting? Of course they wouldn’t

Yousexybugger · 01/08/2021 09:52

tumbletastic I think expectations are already realistic from seeing Caster Semenya et al sweeping the boards in running events (I know they have a DSD and are not trans but same issue)

TooWicked · 01/08/2021 09:54

I flip between hoping he wins to show the whole thing up for the farce that it is, to hoping he comes last - but I think the latter will pave the way for “see, see, transwomen have no advantage, she came last” and before you know 3 Olympics later there are barely any women in the women’s categories.

CuriousaboutSamphire · 01/08/2021 09:55

@TrifleCat

Wonder how the IOC came to decide the rules on this ?

What could possibly influence them to change the rules to allow a multi millionaire white man to compete in women’s sport categories.

They have, this week, said that their trans policy is not fit for purpose but it was too late to modify it for this Olympics.

Regardless of the outcomes we can expect change. We just don't know which way those changes will go!

Greencharge · 01/08/2021 09:56

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