"Racing to become the first transwoman Paralympian

[StrangeLookingParasite]

BBC again. I have not started my day off well.

www.bbc.com/news/stories-57338207

But she won't be a fast unhappy man or a slow happy woman, she'll just be a faster than the women trans woman.

"Better to be a slow happy woman than a fast unhappy man?"

Already started to win gold in all competitions at 47? Started running at 41?

How many women can do that?

People so often gloss over the age thing.

These are males who are many years older than the female competitors.

That's the only reason it's even remotely close

Emma Hilton posted this chart showing Lauren Hubbard's results within the 35-45 age category Hubbard competes in.

twitter.com/FondOfBeetles/status/1399432823048708097

Clearly miles out of line with female 35+ performance, but firmly middling for male 35+.

Which makes Hubbard just about competitive for any-age female competition.

Same for this person - vastly better than any 45+ female, and competitive with the 20-somethings.

I came on to see if there was a thread about this. Infuriating.

Ah but they have mood swings so they must be a really good woman.

"I asked myself, 'Valentina, if you were a biological woman and had a Valentina, a trans, racing against you, how would you feel?' And I gave myself answers - astonishment, confusion and doubt. I would have those things as a woman. So I believe these doubts and questions are legitimate."

at least there is some recognition

I wonder how the BBC would cover it if an able bodied woman was attempting to become the worlds first paraolympian?

Fausta Quilleri is spot on and has the answer:

from the article:

Fausta Quilleri, a lawyer from Brescia and a runner in the over-35s "Master" category, last month sent a petition to the president of the Italian Athletics Federation and the ministries for Equal Opportunities and Sport challenging Petrillo's right to compete in women's races.

"Her physical superiority is so evident as to make competition unfair," she says, arguing that the IOC's exclusive focus on testosterone "makes no sense" when physique is also a factor.

More than 30 female Master athletes signed the petition.

"If she wants to run with us we would be happy for her to do so. We will always welcome her but we don't want her to compete with us for titles," Quilleri says.

For once I'm pleased that a BBC article is at least showing both sides

"If she wants to run with us we would be happy for her to do so. We will always welcome her but we don't want her to compete with us for titles," Quilleri says.

This is fair. There's no harm running with females as there's less risk of injury compared to contact sports but competing at elite level is unfair as science and common sense shows.

@zanahoria

I wonder how the BBC would cover it if an able bodied woman was attempting to become the worlds first paraolympian?

Exactly. The double-think is impressive.

I’d like to see comments from the Paralympic Committee.
This must be on their radar.

The BBC does have some balancing views but still goes for the inspirational, incredible, history making story format.

Surely the more this issue is talked about, the more likely it is that people will realise this is cheating, it's not fair and it's not acceptable for all female athletes to be unable to compete on a level playing field.

@AuntyFungal

I’d like to see comments from the Paralympic Committee. This must be on their radar.

Bet you they are in the 'stunning and brave' camp. Very few organisations seem to have thought through the implications of self-ID, if it goes wider than sex. While it's just women who are losing out, no one cares.

“I asked myself, 'Valentina, if you were a biological woman and had a Valentina, a trans, racing against you, how would you feel?' And I gave myself answers - astonishment, confusion and doubt. I would have those things as a woman. So I believe these doubts and questions are legitimate“

I would love if if another male entered the race against Valentina . Valentina obviously knows this is all unfair but just doesn’t care .

A friend who is involved in classifying categories for a Paralympic sport once told me of the challenges of preventing cheating from people trying to enter the wrong category.

I’m struggling to see why having a Y chromosome isn’t one of the core physiological considerations.

@zanahoria

"I asked myself, 'Valentina, if you were a biological woman and had a Valentina, a trans, racing against you, how would you feel?' And I gave myself answers - astonishment, confusion and doubt. I would have those things as a woman. So I believe these doubts and questions are legitimate."

at least there is some recognition

“Some recognition” , yes, a bit like those people who agree that dog shit in the park is a health hazard and disgusting, but still don’t pick up after their own dog.

I am proud of the women athletes who refused to be photographed with this cheat. .

FFS
So obviously a bloody male physique, but all the authorities are bothered about is the testosterone.

We might as well stop bothering coaching girls and young women in any sport. They don't stand a fucking chance against wankery like this.

@zanahoria

I wonder how the BBC would cover it if an able bodied woman was attempting to become the worlds first paraolympian?

The ‘cross category’ argument is so often ignored. But I see Dr Hilton, Ross Tucker and others tirelessly explain it all the time on twitter.

The sport bodies don’t allow able people to compete in Paralympic categories. They don’t allow adults to compete with children, or young adults to compete with masters.

Yet, they swallowed the ‘inclusive’ line and although the IOC have said they will review the guidance after this Olympics, seem to be more interested in allowing each sport to set their own guidelines. ie. Pushing the decision down the hierarchy. A decision that will allow inconsistency between Olympics events too.

The science is clear already. How much more data that corroborates this do they need.

Also the age difference gets ignored all too often as well.

One of the most vocal activists in this area is a 50+ male who was a champion in an aquatic sport in their youth but now plays rugby in the local women’s team. As a 50+ male, who has their own health issues due to their transition, but they have no menopause issues, no disadvantages starting from an already lower base to males and then having their performance even lower thanks to menopause and age related issues, including loss of bone density.

These male athletes cannot simply conceive that they are significantly older than the female competitors.

Front page on the BBC, I noticed.

' Until four years ago, if you'd talked to Fabrizio (the name Petrillo was given at birth), Fabrizio would have given you the idea he was sexist. He was a tough guy who'd speak dismissively of women'

That is Petrillo talking about Petrilloself in the third person, btw.

@zanahoria

"I asked myself, 'Valentina, if you were a biological woman and had a Valentina, a trans, racing against you, how would you feel?' And I gave myself answers - astonishment, confusion and doubt. I would have those things as a woman. So I believe these doubts and questions are legitimate."

at least there is some recognition

This is worse though. 'Yeah I can see why they think it's unfair, but fuck it, I'll do it anyway!' That medal photo says more than a thousand words! Hate the headline, it's the wrong way round - she was an unhappy man and is now a fast happy woman yay!! Didn't see there was more article under the grey line. Joanna Harper study. The article gives that big publicity, so the casual reader will think 'oh that's alright it sounds very scientific' but it appears to downplay the advantages of height, weight etc and gives more emphasis on hormones. The para that talks about 'disadvantages' in relation to quickness etc uses the wrong word. They may be slower etc than when they were a man, but still faster than equivalent females.

the pictures are definitely speaking a thousand words arent they.....