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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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:
Thread gallery
9
ZeusandClio · 01/08/2021 09:56

@Grumpyoldpersonwithcats

I hope Laurel wins. A win would show this for the farce it is. Whereas not winning could be used as an argument to allow the continued inclusion of male born people into female sports events.
Yes. I think he might throw it, not too obviously, as an argument that TiM don't have a massive advantage. Although how anyone can watch any of the mixed relays and not see that men have a huge natural advantage is unbelievable.
CuriousaboutSamphire · 01/08/2021 09:58

@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!
My ire is directed at both.

The IOC for ignoring huge tracts of solid evidence and Hubbard and other men for taking advantage of the situation.

A rich white male using his influence, his father's influence, to get what he wanted, taking away from young women of colour, is despicable.

CharityDingle · 01/08/2021 09:58

@Vanishun

Somewhere out there, an actual woman who has probably trained relentlessly hard for years (without any benefits of testosterone etc) has lost out on her chance.

That's not okay. It's cheating and it's shit behaviour in the name of validating someone's feelings about themselves.

Exactly.
BlueLobelia · 01/08/2021 09:59

Just putting tbhis here. There should be 3 biological women on this podium.

There isn't.

To ask why people this Laurel the weightlifter will win?
MiladyBerserko · 01/08/2021 10:00

Cheat Cheat Cheat

LostDonkey · 01/08/2021 10:01

It doesn't matter if LH wins gold or does nothing more than walk to the platform then trip over the bar.

The point is LH has taken the place of a female athlete and shouldn't be at the Olympics, other than as a spectator. LH wouldn't have a hope in hells chance of qualifying for the male weightlifting team.

A female weightlifter in her forties, after suffering a near-career ending injury only a couple of years before, would never have managed to qualify for the women's team. And yet, for some mysterious reason, LH has managed what would be the near-impossible for a biological woman.

To blatantly quote myself from the other LH thread.

LH took top place at the podium in the Pacific Games in Samoa in 2019, meaning Feagaiga Stowers took silver rather than gold. Stowers was called "a ray of hope for young girls and women who might be going through what she had to overcome" by the Samoan Observer, The victim of abuse, she was among the survivors of sexual violence who sought refuge and was given a second chance at life at the Samoa Victim Support Group. Weightlifting was part of the rehabilitation programme where Stowers excelled and found her confidence.

LH is the son of a wealthy ex-politician and was charged with careless driving causing injury after a car crash in 2018. The Judge suppressed LH's name to help LH "avoid the distress of dealing with social media comment while she trained for Olympic qualifying events." This was subsequently overturned as the Judge "had made a number of errors and Hubbard's potential distress did not meet the legal test for suppression."

Prior to transitioning LH did not compete in international weightlifting but suddenly found success since transitioning in 2012, winning several elite titles.

One of these is an inspiring female role model for aspiring athletes. The other is not.

To ask why people this Laurel the weightlifter will win?
Greencharge · 01/08/2021 10:02

Above image credits to burntoakboy on Instagram.

YetAnotherSpartacus · 01/08/2021 10:04

So sad for the woman left behind.

clickychicky · 01/08/2021 10:06

They've let her compete so it's not her fault.

RampantIvy · 01/08/2021 10:06

@Hoppinggreen

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
I agree. There are some areas where there is a clear differences between the sexes (not gender), and this is one.

Does anyone remember back in the 1980s when most of the female East German and USSR female athletes looked like men and won most of the medals, and GB used to be lucky to get one or two gold medals? This was before extensive drugs testing. We now have a more even playing field, but allowing athletes who are biologically male to compete as females is turning the clock back.

VladmirsPoutine · 01/08/2021 10:06

Did anyone else watch the mixed relay swimming? I think all bar the UK(?) started with their male swimmers and gained a HUGE advantage from the jump, literally. I can't understand how anyone can't see this? I think it's fair to say even Serena Williams quite possibly the best tennis player of all time wouldn't manage to go toe to toe with a 20-something male tennis player.

Chickenyhead · 01/08/2021 10:07

@clickychicky

They've let her compete so it's not her fault.
Would you compete in the under 10s sack race if it was allowed?
Quartz2208 · 01/08/2021 10:07

The woman who lost out was given a place in the end

CuriousaboutSamphire · 01/08/2021 10:07

@clickychicky

They've let her compete so it's not her fault.
Had he and others not lobbied to take women's places in various sports they would not have been accommodated. It didn't happen because nobody asked!
Quartz2208 · 01/08/2021 10:08

www.bbc.co.uk/sport/weightlifting/57619765

Doesnt make it right or even better but at least she managed to get there

FrankButchersDickieBow · 01/08/2021 10:09

Hubbard won't win. Hubbard could, if Hubbard wanted to, but Hubbard won't even get a medal.

All eyes are on this and there would be too much of a furore.

This is paving the the way for more biological males to enter women's sports.

This is a 'see, we won't take your medals' exercise, which will make women's sports a free for all for mediocre bio males.

SoupDragon · 01/08/2021 10:09

Prior to transitioning LH did not compete in international weightlifting but suddenly found success since transitioning in 2012, winning several elite titles.

I wonder why they were suddenly better than the people they were competing against...? 🤔

clickychicky · 01/08/2021 10:09

No because I am not 10. LH considers herself a woman. The IOC have agreed she is classed as a woman. I can't see what the benefit to her would be to compete as a woman if she didn't meet the criteria. Not saying the criteria are correct but I think the anger should be directed at the people who have decided the criteria.

Porcupineintherough · 01/08/2021 10:10

Not sure Laurels colour, age or family wealth are the point here - you could change any or all of these characteristics and her presence in the competition would still be wrong. The issue is that Laurel was born a man and has the physical advantages that confers.

Chickenyhead · 01/08/2021 10:10

@clickychicky

No because I am not 10. LH considers herself a woman. The IOC have agreed she is classed as a woman. I can't see what the benefit to her would be to compete as a woman if she didn't meet the criteria. Not saying the criteria are correct but I think the anger should be directed at the people who have decided the criteria.
You're not 10 and laurel Hubbard is not a biological woman.

End of.

clickychicky · 01/08/2021 10:11

You're not 10 and laurel Hubbard is not a biological woman.

Then it is the classification rules that are wrong.

End of.

YetAnotherSpartacus · 01/08/2021 10:12

LH won Gold in the 2019 Pacific Games. (At least) two women missed out on their dreams here?

Chickenyhead · 01/08/2021 10:12

So if the rules allowed you to compete against 10yo why wouldn't you? Rules allow it.

CuriousaboutSamphire · 01/08/2021 10:13

This reply has been deleted

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KohlaParasanda · 01/08/2021 10:13

@Quartz2208

The woman who lost out was given a place in the end
And the young woman who would have been offered that wildcard place if Nini Manumua had been selected instead of Laurel Hubbard became the person who lost out.
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