R4 today covering LH now and later

[Testingtimes1]

Interview with Joanna Harper later.

7.21am for first bit. Reasonably clear on the issues.

Just listening

Seb Coe "gender shouldn't ever trump biology".

New guidelines will balance ‘safety fairness and inclusion’.

Sebastian Coe - ‘gender should not trump biology’. Not exactly sure what he meant by that but sounds positive.

Joanna Harper now. ‘What is the basis on which Joanna Harper is allowed to compete’.

Good question about testosterone.

Well said Seb Coe!

I do enjoy Harper’s nervous cough when the questioning gets tough

Well this interview is quite good. Calm, clear. Joanna isn’t a great interviewee but fair play to Joanna, there is no attempt to dodge questions.

I think I know what Seb Coe meant: feelz are not the same as physical attributes. Identify as a woman all you like, but it won't change your male puberty or your testosterone.

Those were clear tough questions.

Good interview and some good, direct questioning of Harper. Enjoyed hearing Harper flap around like a landed fish when trying to defend the indefensible with those direct questions.

Ooh and a mention of the DSD athletes as well later in the same sport segment. But not very clear about that.

Paraphrasing but - "She's unlikely to win so it's fair if she competes."

I cannot decide if I want LH to win a medal today. For the athletes LH is competing against, I hope LH doesnt.

But it will peak a lot of people to see LH on the podium.

Anyone know what time they're due to compete?

@BettyFilous

Good interview and some good, direct questioning of Harper. Enjoyed hearing Harper flap around like a landed fish when trying to defend the indefensible with those direct questions.

It was a very difficult interview to listen to. The interviewer having to ask too many questions to carry on a conversation.

Even if she doesn't win, she has still taken the Olympic experience away from a woman who deserved to be there. Good that this is being covered.

There's a piece about LH in the daily mail today, interviewing Harper.

Harper says "not convinced it's fair for LH and other TW to compete but it's not markedly unfair".

Clear as mud!

I'm glad it's being covered but I'll be amazed if Hubbard wins, and I think we need to brace ourselves for an influx of posters tomorrow going 'See! See! There's no advantage!'

Well, the whole issue relies on language being used to manipulate people into accepting one group of people to the detriment of another group - women.

USA today article has a good evidence summary too. Well, of what little there is.

I don’t have much confidence in the ‘new’ IOC guidelines due to be replaced.

JH isn’t a very good interviewer - agree the interviewer is having to work hard to get any responses out of her. I wish they wouldn’t just focus on testosterone but look at the other advantages.

Rugby recognised the physical implications.

Trying not to be bothered by this shite.

Was a good discussion though.

If Hubbard is "unlikely to win" this is all just about validation.

If the IOC are still using the word 'guidelines' instead of 'ban' then, as far as I'm concerned, whatever they've come up with can't be fit for purpose.

I'm going to take a positive from this. If you step away from the detail and listen to how people react to this, they don't like it, even if they see themselves as progressives. They don't like it because it inevitably leads to the thought "well, obviously transwomen aren't actually women".

It was amusing to listen to how Joanna Harper will deflect like mad to avoid engaging with the question "Is it fair?"

However, with a middling performance by Hubbard this is going to be brushed away for the moment. The big fuss is yet to come.