Transgender weightlifter named to NZ weightlifting squad

[pisacake]

www.newshub.co.nz/home/sport/2017/11/transgender-weightlifting-laurel-hubbard-named-new-zealand-s-commonwealth-games-team.html

Yes, it's Laurel Hubbard and he will compete in the new 90kg weight category, which was introduced to bring equality with men's weightlifting.

twitter.com/iwfnet/status/779943108721176576
"Technical Rule modification accepted by the IWF EB: the new women bodyweight category is 90kg,+90kg and 75kg,+75kg for youth #genderbalance"

So equal that it's being competed in by a man.

Oh, and the old heavyweight female lifter has been forced to lose 17kg to compete in the

Can’t believe that a man would transition to win medals though

I can believe it. All he would have to do is make a token attempt at changing his hair, clothes etc. Hair, clothes and make up are the signifier of 'woman' for these people. There is no need to get rid of genitalia, most transwomen have a fully functioning penis.

Some people will do anything to win. They will take drugs in order to win. Why not change your clothes and say that makes you a woman?

Maybe this is what it's going to take. A ridiculous number of trans athletes winning at the Olympics.

I think it is a possibility Empress, it is SUCH a clear case of unfairness that people will see it clearly.

Well, that's set me up with my dose of righteous rage for the day.

I sincerely, genuinely wish that Laurel steps on a lego. And gets a paper cut.

And stops cheating women out of medals, and shitting all over women's sports, but that probably goes without saying.

How is this fair on the others.

Huge advantage over the women.

I support the right for adults to do what they want with their bodies.

I will call them any name they want and I would be friendly and considerate etc just like I would treat anyone else. I have nothing against anyone unless they have actively done something towards me or people I care about. I don't care if you were a Martian.

But this just isn't right. It's not fair
How can sport with it's such strict rules 're drugs etc allow this.

And why does validating delusions come befire what's fair and right

"Maybe this is what it's going to take. A ridiculous number of trans athletes winning at the Olympics"

Hopefully, although rapist placed in women's prisons didn't cause many to rethink.

Marvelous, seems completely fair.

Weightlifting is my preferred method of fitness so I'm subscribed to the Girls Gone Strong on youtube, their tag line is to empower women to be their strongest self. So I was a bit surprised when one of their regular videos, which are aimed at inspiring their followers and show other women achieving impressive lifts, was this:

No mention that Janae used to be called Matthew Raymond Kroczaleski who was a world champion and world record holding powerlifter. I don't find it very inspiring to be shown a man lifting heavy weights even if they are undergoing estrogen therapy, it doesn't suddenly create a level playing field with natal women. Girls Gone Strong is supposed to be focused on women in what has been a male dominated sport, stuff like this is so frustrating.

Can’t believe that a man would transition to win medals though.

Why not? What impact would it have on his life day to day? He has to make some token effort (wear a closer fitting clothes, a bit more pink, grow his hair), persuade a therapist perhaps, and take some hormones - really it's a darn site less invasive than a body builder might do (very strict diet, various supplements and potions, all over shaving and tan).

"Maybe this is what it's going to take. A ridiculous number of trans athletes winning at the Olympics"

Hopefully, although rapist placed in women's prisons didn't cause many to rethink.

People like my FIL care a lot more about the olympics than women in prison.

I think it's a common attitude, one that I've seen in a comment on FWR, that if you're in prison you deserve a lot of what you get (I seem to remember the commenter quite rightly had some quite forceful words go back at her, that prisoners didn't deserve to be raped any more than any other human being)

I didn't realise there is such a high rate of domestic violence in nz. Is it about better reporting?

No, it's a terrible problem here. We like to think we're all progressive - first country to give women the vote, women PMs, Governor Generals, head of judiciary, etc.

But actually domestic violence is to New Zealand what race is to the US, and class is to the UK.

But actually domestic violence is to New Zealand what race is to the US, and class is to the UK.

Absolutely. Especially the sexual abuse of girls, and partner violence towards women. It's endemic throughout NZ society.

It's worth noting that people are complaining about this.

www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/national/backlash-from-australia-against-transgender-weightlifter/

Australia's weightlifting chief says New Zealand's selection of transgender athlete Laurel Hubbard will create an uneven playing field at next year's Commonwealth Games

Australian Weightlifting Federation chief executive Michael Keelan on Friday claimed Hubbard would have both a physiological and mental edge over her rivals.

Keelan said the AWF had written to the IOC and the International Weightlifting Federation raising concerns about transgender athletes but were yet to hear back.

Sorry, but that's a man...

I don’t get it. If nothing else surely if there is nothing else at least the same restrictions should apply to everyone who competes in the same event!

They do, it's just that a typical woman has say 1 nmol/l. But if a woman had 10 nmol/l, then she could still compete.

but whereas Hubbard almost certainly has a >10 nmol/l but can just suppress it too below that to compete, a woman can't do the reverse and bump it up to 10.

Hubbard, as a man, was Executive Officer of Weightlifting NZ

Ok I'm going to ask. Is he on the road to becoming a she (i.e. Surgery, the whole nine yards) or is now saying the he identifies as a woman - 'think therefore I am'? What about his team mates, changing rooms, competing in/against countries where he could find himself in jail?

The only way this is going to stop people, (because let’s face it it hasn’t so far), is in something like the Olympics.

When our home grown, beloved female athletes get thrashed by an obscure man from somewhere forrin.

Or Venus Williams get trounced at Wimbledon by some bloke with half an ATP point and a handful of oestrogen.

People will not want to see top-notch female athletes being replaced by second rate men.

People walk, the money will walk.

Here's Tracey Lambrechs on being 'inspired' to lose 17kg by a man.

www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11947789

"Rather than installing a padlocked fridge or getting a buffet restraining order, Lambrechs achieved her goal through old-fashioned dietary discipline.

"It was a real trial dropping the body weight," the 32-year-old said ahead of her third Games.

"At first I wasn't very open to it, but it was either that or retire… and I'm not ready for that. To drop 17-18kg was challenging, and I hadn't been challenged like that in a long time.""

"One of the main things is having meals prepared before I get home, because that's when I tend to eat everything in sight. A dietician looks after me, and helps me look at the bigger picture.

"I can have chocolate or sushi now, but I always think how much harder it might be to make the Games weight. I want to work now and get the rewards afterwards."

See? Totally heartwarming.

I just curious as to motivation. How far would a man go to get gold?

Some athletes take steroids that they know will permanently damage their health. Pretending to be a woman is trivial in comparison.

I hope he does get gold. Shows the whole thing up for what is has become.

I thought this too.

Hope he wins the Commonwealth Games and next Olympics. Just wish it was a higher profile sport like Wimbledon or Olympic 100m. Seems it might take take that for folk to take note.

Poster from NZ - what are folk there’s views in Hubbard?

I think it is a possibility Empress, it is SUCH a clear case of unfairness that people will see it clearly.

I would love to believe this

But i dont

Its not going to happen....i will bet drinks and a meal for everyone on this thread

Countries love to win, they will do anything to win, most men literally dont give a shit who they see win in the competition as long as its their team

Women have always been second class when it comes to sport

Its incredibly sad

And as someone said the mediocre sportspeople who slaughter women at these sports are no danger to the mens teams

Cos that would be the thing that makes a difference....usain bolt beaten by a woman? Now we have a problem

And they wonder why women aren't interested in sports.

Because if anyone takes any interest, someone finds a way of driving them out of it.