Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

World Swimming Coaches Association position statement on transgender swimming

20 replies

MagnoliaTaint · 17/05/2022 12:57

'The WSCA’s position is that the competitive balance of women’s swimming cannot be ensured with transgender athletes, though the group maintains its commitment to find a way to include transgender swimmers in a fair way, according to the report, which could eventually lead to a Trans Division.

“For the sport of swimming, the inclusion of transgender people on the grounds of fairness cannot co-exist in the current competitive model. Swimming should choose to offer competition in which the female category is protected for reasons of competitive
fairness. … The World Swimming Coaches Association (WSCA) has an unequivocal agenda for the sport of swimming to be experienced in an environment where everyone can partake in the sport and where everyone is treated with both dignity and respect,” the report reads. “However, the inclusion of transgender people into female sport cannot be balanced with fairness due to the retained differences in strength, stamina and physique that are present when comparing the average female with the average transgender female/non-binary person who was assigned male at birth (whether with or without the involvement of testosterone suppression). This is the primary factor to be considered in an endeavour to balance fairness with inclusion.”

The WSCA said a possible solution is to create a Trans Division.'

Well, that's good to read.

www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/news/wsca-releases-position-on-transgender-swimming-inclusion-fairness-cannot-coexist-in-current-model/

OP posts:
MagnoliaTaint · 17/05/2022 12:58

Link to the full report: www.wscacoach.org/advocacy/wsca-position-statement-on-transgender-swimming

OP posts:
oldwhyno · 17/05/2022 12:59

Thanks. Let's hope other sports follow suit.

HimalayanSnowcock · 17/05/2022 13:01

Blimey, that was unexpected. Great news.

puffyisgood · 17/05/2022 13:03

this is a very compelling paragraph:

"On the typical club team, age-group athletes, elite athletes, Special Olympians, and Paralympic athletes all share the same practice pool. They train together every day for weeks, then go their separate ways for their competitions. It could be precisely the same for our Trans Athletes. 99% of the year, every athlete trains together. 1% of the year, they attend their appropriate competitions."

no-one is for a minute saying that trans people can't have a hobby, obviously.

FemaleAndLearning · 17/05/2022 13:04

Common sense at last. Where does leave Lia Thomas?

MagnoliaTaint · 17/05/2022 13:41

I've no idea, Female, I don't know how much influence this organisation has.

OP posts:
ChairCareOh · 17/05/2022 13:44

This reply has been deleted

Withdrawn at the user's request

Noisyprat · 17/05/2022 13:51

So any race result in which Thomas participated must be re-adjusted to remove their name. Any record they broke should be given back to/awarded to the woman who actually achieved the record.

GrimDamnFanjo · 17/05/2022 14:12

What's Sharron saying?

Butitsnotfunnyisititsserious · 17/05/2022 14:14

Thats great news

FemaleAndLearning · 17/05/2022 14:36

Noisyprat · 17/05/2022 13:51

So any race result in which Thomas participated must be re-adjusted to remove their name. Any record they broke should be given back to/awarded to the woman who actually achieved the record.

I agree that should happen. We should be thanking Lia for doing such a fine job of making people realise how unfair this is.

standoctor · 17/05/2022 14:47

Totally correct decision

MagnoliaTaint · 17/05/2022 14:49

I'm trying to find out more about this association. Trustees worldwide. Is it linked to FINA? Does anyone know?

OP posts:
MagnoliaTaint · 17/05/2022 14:50

'the WSCA Board have spent a significant period of time since the commencement of 2022 in drafting and re-drafting a Position Statement to aid FINA in constructing their own Transgender Policy. The Board considered three Options and the Option which became known as ‘Option 3’ was their clear preference in terms of a Position Statement to be put to you as our members. In receiving consultation from our membership at large, we received overwhelming support for this Position Statement and, with some edits made following this membership consultation, this will now be put to FINA for their consideration and support.'

So I look forward to hearing what FINA says.

OP posts:
BestestBrownies · 17/05/2022 14:51

Excellent! Common sense is starting to peek through the stormy clouds of misogyny at last.

WeirdManFromRummikub · 17/05/2022 15:07

Masters swimmers already all swim together regardless of age, often regardless of gender, but seeded by time. This means those of a similar ability compete in the same heats. The results are then sorted by gender and age categories, and placings/ medals allocated according to gender and age.
Transgender swimmers could attend regular meets and swim in regular events, but the results would be sorted accordingly and ranked separately. Records kept separately. etc.

MoltenLasagne · 17/05/2022 15:09

That's unexpected good news. The beneficial effects of sunshine.

MagnoliaTaint · 17/05/2022 15:45

WeirdManFromRummikub · 17/05/2022 15:07

Masters swimmers already all swim together regardless of age, often regardless of gender, but seeded by time. This means those of a similar ability compete in the same heats. The results are then sorted by gender and age categories, and placings/ medals allocated according to gender and age.
Transgender swimmers could attend regular meets and swim in regular events, but the results would be sorted accordingly and ranked separately. Records kept separately. etc.

That sounds eminently sensible. Everyone's included; fairness in competition is maintained.

OP posts:
Delphinium20 · 17/05/2022 15:51

"Categorization by sex is lawful, and hence the requirement to request information relating to birth sex is appropriate."

I assume they are referencing Title IX in this, one of the few places in U.S. federal law where sex is referenced as a class in law. We have other places, but Title IX primarily impacts sports in schools.

What a very clear and fair recommendation they've made. I hope other sports bodies can use this and apply it as needed.

Glittertwins · 17/05/2022 18:14

Let's see what comes out of this, at least it's going in the right direction

New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread