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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Laurel Hubbard to go to Tokyo

513 replies

Biscuitsanddoombar · 05/05/2021 20:59

Not a surprise and hopefully it’ll open some eyes about the utter ridiculousness of allowing someone who is male to compete against women in weightlifting

www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/may/05/trans-weightlifter-laurel-hubbard-set-to-make-history-at-tokyo-olympics

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ChakaDakotaRegina · 09/05/2021 03:59

@ItsAllGoingToBeFine

The DM piece ( www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9553101/amp/Fury-decision-let-transsexual-enter-Tokyo-Olympics.html ) is fantastic. Lots and lots of clearly captioned pictures.
Annoyingly this has now been changed to one about their ‘extraordinary journey’. Comments are still not having it though.

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9556043/The-story-New-Zealand-transgender-weightlifter-Laurel-Hubbard.html

WarriorN · 09/05/2021 07:03

I was thinking last night though that it would be best not to protest this hugely (it will happen though) as a lot of people I know are of the be kind mindset.

Any pile on will be framed as bigoted and transphobic.

I'd prefer for some open ended debate and let people work it out themselves.

Hoping voice overs comment on how Hubbard only started competing recently (bar high school.)

Floisme · 09/05/2021 07:45

I was thinking last night though that it would be best not to protest this hugely (it will happen though) as a lot of people I know are of the be kind mindset.
Did you see the latest AIBU thread? I know it's not exactly a 'be kind' kind of place but I think posters there tend to be more representative of the public mood than we are, and they were fucking raging and ready to march.

I think women need to seize this moment before people get used to the idea - which they will.

I don't expect any help from commentators - the ones who might be willing to talk about it won't get hired.

Zinco · 09/05/2021 09:26

Sky News Australia did a piece on this, also responding to Sarah Silverman:

NotBadConsidering · 09/05/2021 09:40

Such a great video. She’s great. I reckon she lurks here.

Floisme · 09/05/2021 09:48

Thanks for that link.

PermanentTemporary · 09/05/2021 10:10

Watching that link I remember that Sarah Silverman is a comedian. It looks almost like satire... I wonder.

toffeebutterpopcorn · 09/05/2021 10:13

Don’t know - I saw her on a comedian chat show an thought she was very irritating and not even remotely funny.

PermanentTemporary · 09/05/2021 10:16

Her act was always transgressive and aiming to say the unsayable in right thinking circles, while not going to abusiveness, swearing, obvious aggression. Often at the expense of laughs.... It's possible she is being deliberately provocative.

PermanentTemporary · 09/05/2021 10:17

Listen to the questions.
'What you think trans girls are stronger...?'
'Caitlyn, you're a woman, right...?'

Floisme · 09/05/2021 10:21

From what I've seen of Silverman I would say she means every word.

Orielica · 09/05/2021 10:23

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toffeebutterpopcorn · 09/05/2021 10:25

Yes quite, well done you.

WarriorN · 09/05/2021 12:24

No I didn't Flo perhaps there's hope!

WarriorN · 09/05/2021 12:28

I thought that was a genuine rant by Silverman, and was fucked off by celebs supporting her, (eg hobbit guy) but perhaps...? Hard to tell.

WarriorN · 09/05/2021 12:29

It's possible she is being deliberately provocative.

There's certainly a raft of scientific studies linked on her thread...!

Abhannmor · 09/05/2021 12:49

Brilliant video Zinco.

Liliolla · 09/05/2021 13:02

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yourfaceisaforeignfood · 09/05/2021 14:47

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Zinco · 11/05/2021 00:46

As far as I can tell Sarah Silverman was giving a straightforward real opinion.

I have enjoyed her stand-up comedy in the past.

Twitter replies were mostly going against her, at least from those I read.

Ollinisca · 11/05/2021 02:28

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MrGHardy · 11/05/2021 11:16

[quote Zinco]Sky News Australia did a piece on this, also responding to Sarah Silverman:

[/quote] Wow, cannot imagine Sky in the UK broadcasting this.
MrGHardy · 11/05/2021 11:37

@LostToucan

Interesting that the DM article says that Hubbard set junior national records in the late 1990s, but then seemingly failed to translate junior success into the senior levels.
This is not surprising. Being outstanding at junior level is not a guarantee to make it as an adult. Take football, plenty of kids who were in the national youth teams don't even make it to the PL/Bundesliga/etc. much less a top team.

The thing with Hubbard is exactly highlighting the issue. I think no one would argue that say Djokovic becoming trans and winning is a surprise - he already beats the men. But someone like Hubbard who is gifted enough to not be completely obscure, but not good enough to be world class either, that is exactly the person who can go from not winning to winning. Tiffany Abreu is another example, good enough to play 2nd division in the men's, but nothing special, then magically breaking records as a woman.

EdgeOfACoin · 11/05/2021 12:12

The thing with Hubbard is exactly highlighting the issue. I think no one would argue that say Djokovic becoming trans and winning is a surprise - he already beats the men. But someone like Hubbard who is gifted enough to not be completely obscure, but not good enough to be world class either, that is exactly the person who can go from not winning to winning. Tiffany Abreu is another example, good enough to play 2nd division in the men's, but nothing special, then magically breaking records as a woman.

Yes, this is a good point. I see a lot of comments on here along the lines of ‘but what if Usain Bolt decided to identify as a woman? Would that be fair?’ Well, no, but Bolt is in a class of his own. Most men couldn’t beat Bolt either.

Someone in their 40s, who used to compete as a relatively ‘average’ competitor in the men’s events joining the women’s events and frequently beating women in their 20s...well, that makes a more obvious point.

Zinco · 11/05/2021 12:40

Yep, Sky News Australia is different to the UK version.

It's now seen as a dangerous threat by liberals, kind of like Fox News.

www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/feb/24/sky-news-australia-is-tapping-into-the-global-conspiracy-set-and-its-paying-off

A news channel that doesn't promote liberal viewpoints? Well that's extremism!