Thankyou Laurel Hubbard

[ferretface]

I am active on a sports related site where there is currently a lively debate on trans inclusion in sport thanks to Ms. Hubbard and the IOC rules which allow her participation.

I think it's the first time I've felt safe to put my views on the importance of sex based categories in sports to my actual name (the site is largely full of reasonable and respectful people, even if there is a lively debate). Even more hearteningly I'm watching the scales drop from some people's eyes as the debate progresses. Once you see the problem, you can't unsee it.

So thankyou, Laurel Hubbard. Just sorry that the Olympic dreams of a young woman in her 20s had to be dashed to give you your spot and give this issue the visibility that will lead to change.

The image of Laurel is very confronting, with their beer gut and male pattern baldness.

I can’t even say ‘nice pony tail, though’, because let’s be honest, it’s not. It looks more like your standard ageing cycle gang member’s rat’s tail.

Very, very disappointed with our country’s decision to field this competitor.

Just dropping in to remind people to check the petitions board if you are interested in this issue

And just saw the link re Nini - such great news

@Mulsteadly

Just dropping in to remind people to check the petitions board if you are interested in this issue

What, or where, is the petitions board?

Interesting new use of the Tripartite invitation though. I understood those invitations were generally to enable representation from under represented countries etc.

Now it's been used because of a different under-represented demographic.

Specifically, women were under-represented in the women's weightlifting team.

Here you go

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/petitions_noticeboard/4278179-Petition-to-save-womens-Olympic-sports

Thank you, signed.

@Mulsteadly

Interesting new use of the Tripartite invitation though. I understood those invitations were generally to enable representation from under represented countries etc.

Now it's been used because of a different under-represented demographic.

Specifically, women were under-represented in the women's weightlifting team.

It’s certainly a novel use.

So pleased that Nini is going! Hope she lifts her heart out and has an amazing Games.

By my reckoning, the next woman down the list who is still losing out is Parisa Jahanfekrian. And every woman after her, all still bumped one place down to enable Hubbards dreams.

My husband didn’t really get it - until he did 😂
He’s been shouting at the tv “ its a he “ are you fucking blind “😂😂
Me and the dog thought he was watching some weird interactive tv program until I realised it was about LH
I always though it would be sport that would make people open their eyes and see the truth

Oh and I had my Covid Jab yesterday
On the form it had gender - I scribbled I put and put sex - female
I felt like a right rebel 😂

Just listening to ‘women’ hour catchup. What the bloody hell? Arggggggggh.

If I hear C** one more time I will throw up.

This whole situation is beyond depressing. As woman we are already paid less, etc. How an old white man can take the place of a young aspiring female athlete is beyond comprehensible. I have a very talented daughter who plays football and this is one of my worst nightmares. For my daughter or another young girl to lose a place to a boy or man who has changed gender.

Posting as relevant.

The IOC are sticking to the script and what was once an issue from echo chambers on Twitter is now ok the world stage.

Speaking with DH who said last week that it would be easy to skip over and not show certain participants will now be unavoidable.

I'm quite looking forward to the Olympics, I'll be checking the language used in coverage.

Maybe we need a new thread to monitor media output, we could have our bingo cards at the ready...

I was thinking that we really need these trans athletes to win. Preferably by a big margin.

If they don’t, it’ll give the “see, it’s not really an advantage” crowd further justification.

So I find myself in the odd situation of wanting them to do well

The thing that I'm wondering is, how would you police ongoing advantage from past virilisation, for both male and female athletes? There's evidence that if you've ever used anabolic steroids incl. testosterone to boost athletic performance, you retain an advantage, just as males retain a lifelong advantage over females from the much more dramatic effects of male puberty. If the only way to rule out advantage is for all athletes to have been clean their whole lives, we either need lifelong frequent testing of everyone who might ever want to be an athlete, or to accept that in order to be competitive in elite sports, you're probably going to have had to use testosterone at some point and bugger the consequences.

Barrett still isn't common knowledge. I wonder how many more transwomen and xy individuals are going to be in these games in women's sports.