@ZeldaFighter
This is such a difficult issue. I've always thought of myself as a feminist with progressive politics but a situation where a person goes from 554th to first isn't fair. So why are the only people saying that horrifically right-wing?
I was reading about Andraya Yearwood and Terry Miller and both people attracted my sympathy.
I am so confused.
It’s not difficult, forget the feelingz for a minute, start with the physiology.
Before puberty boys and girls bodies are quite similar in many ways, because girls tend to start puberty earlier their growth spurt happens sooner, so in early teens girls are often taller that boys. But this early growth spurt advantage changes as soon as boys hormonal changes start. Boys average height very quickly overtakes girls average height. Boys have increased bone length, muscle size and consequently increased strength. Their heart and lung size increases to fuel this extra demand for oxygen and blood to maintain this taller, stronger body. Male blood is additionally more effective at carrying oxygen to muscles. Male muscles have a faster twitch reflex to respond to movement and activity.
Because female bodies are designed to deliver babies their pelvic floor is arranged to facilitate birth, this means that the pelvic girdle in women is not optimally designed for movements such as running, jumping ,twisting, changing direction which is not the case for male pelvic development where the pelvis supports lower limb action more effectively.
So even discounting the effect of testosterone on mood and aggression a male body after puberty has already benefitted from its effect on physical development through skeletal and muscle size, and bodily efficiency.
So when Andraya and Terry step onto the running track they are bringing all those innate physical advantages with them. When they race against other young men these advantages are evened out and it becomes a question of technique and skill to decide who wins. The better runner wins.Sadly for Andraya and Terry that was not them.
When they step onto the track and run against young women the only thing they need to think about is how much they want to win, and what they are prepared to do to succeed in that intention , they don’t need good technique and skill to beat young women who are smaller, less muscular, have a pelvic floor disadvantage and a less efficient system of conveying oxygen to their muscles.
If you are a not very good college or high school athlete who is female you accept that your chances of winning a valuable scholarship to further your education are pretty low so you concentrate on your academic grades. If you are a not very good college or high school athlete who is male you now have access to plan B…………….