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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Female pool player Lynne Pinches refuses to play transgender opponent and walks off at start of match

320 replies

IwantToRetire · 14/11/2023 19:14

A pool player has forfeited her chance to win a top national title in protest at the sport allowing a transgender woman to compete against natal females.

Lynne Pinches packed up her cue and walked off as the final of the Ladies Champions of Champions got under way over the weekend.

Spectators clapped and cheered Pinches’ protest while her opponent, Harriet Haynes, appeared bemused before later picking up the trophy by default.
Pinches had been among a host of top female players to speak out in recent days over transgender women being allowed to compete against them in elite competitions.

More Female pool player Lynne Pinches refuses to play transgender opponent and walks off at start of match (yahoo.com)

Female pool player Lynne Pinches refuses to play transgender opponent and walks off

A pool player has forfeited her chance to win a top national title in protest at the sport allowing a transgender woman to compete against natal females.

https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/female-pool-player-lynne-pinches-141515605.html

OP posts:
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Mmmnotsure · 21/11/2023 12:15

A mixed doubles comp. Wonder how it would come up against the situation addressed in the US rowing rules - there you can have males competing as women in female races, but in mixed-sex races half the crew have to be actual, you know, women, born female. So the only time when men might possibly miss out - if they found themselves coming up against unfairness by having to row against a crew with more males in it - there is a carve-out so men aren't put at a disadvantage.

How would the men in these mixed doubles feel if they missed out on a win because they were up against a 'mixed' team of two males?

duc748 · 21/11/2023 12:41

Well, what I don't know (and I don't imagine any of us do) is whether HH is the only transwoman amongst the women players. I kinda suspect she is, but I don't know for sure. And really, she is hardly 'head and shoulders above' the women players. I've seen her play a fair times. She might have a very slight edge, but she's by no means invincible.

OneMorePlant · 21/11/2023 12:46

duc748 · 21/11/2023 12:41

Well, what I don't know (and I don't imagine any of us do) is whether HH is the only transwoman amongst the women players. I kinda suspect she is, but I don't know for sure. And really, she is hardly 'head and shoulders above' the women players. I've seen her play a fair times. She might have a very slight edge, but she's by no means invincible.

What does that even matter?

A man has no place in women's sports.

duc748 · 21/11/2023 12:49

I fully agree. I was just explaining the situation, that's all. I was just trying to make it clear that this isn't a 'Lia Thomas' situation. But the principle remains.

Grimchmas · 21/11/2023 12:55

HH's lawyer quoted in that second telegraph link as saying something along the lines of "it's a technical skill game, there is no sex advantage"

And yet male, female and mixed leagues exist, and HH can't leave the women's leagues alone and play in the open ones. How odd. 🤔

I thought the telegraph article was a good summary of how women players have fought against sexism all their lives. You can't identify into that. Especially not when you transition as an adult.

OneMorePlant · 21/11/2023 13:23

With the soccer team refusing to play, I think the boxer and snooker ladies hopefully set something in motion that gives courage to all female athletes and they just refuse to play this game of oppression any longer.

Nordlo · 21/11/2023 13:25

Amen

duc748 · 21/11/2023 14:20

OK, I have investigated a bit further! 😃According to UP FB page, the mixed doubles went ahead last night, with plenty of fans complaining and asking why it wasn't screened (as I said upthread, this might be because of the football, but IIRC, when this has happened in the past, they've shown the pool later, at midnight or something. But not this time.).

Also one fan remarked, "Harriet & Smithy couldn’t get a partner is that true?" I don't know who Smithy is, or what that proves, if anything.

WickedSerious · 21/11/2023 17:01

Grimchmas · 21/11/2023 12:55

HH's lawyer quoted in that second telegraph link as saying something along the lines of "it's a technical skill game, there is no sex advantage"

And yet male, female and mixed leagues exist, and HH can't leave the women's leagues alone and play in the open ones. How odd. 🤔

I thought the telegraph article was a good summary of how women players have fought against sexism all their lives. You can't identify into that. Especially not when you transition as an adult.

The other leagues aren't good for his ladyfeelz.

DerekFaker · 24/11/2023 14:09

Tweet from Lynne. Well done, those women!

Female pool player Lynne Pinches refuses to play transgender opponent and walks off at start of match
Boiledbeetle · 24/11/2023 14:26

As nothing else had worked it looks like it's going to have to be this way!

So, strength in numbers!

If they all walk there will be no women for the men to play.

It shouldn't have had to come down to women forgoing matches and prize money though!

UtopiaPlanitia · 24/11/2023 14:28

DerekFaker · 24/11/2023 14:09

Tweet from Lynne. Well done, those women!

It would seem that more and more women are publicly displaying their objection to men in women’s sport 🎉

Finally, an answer to all those men commenting under newspaper articles and saying 'If women just refused to compete this would be sorted in 5 minutes flat.'

ErrolTheDragon · 27/11/2023 21:56

Lynnes club know she's a winner

x.com/PinchesLynne/status/1729192536173121661?s=08

duc748 · 27/11/2023 22:01

Aw, that's lovely! 😀

IcakethereforeIam · 27/11/2023 22:06

That's adorable and well deserved. Truly stunning, truly brave.

ArthurbellaScott · 27/11/2023 22:11

Amazing to see more women stand up and say no.

Calm and clear.

Didsomeonesaydogs · 27/11/2023 22:25

The comments are unanimously supportive of her - great to see.

ArcaneWireless · 27/11/2023 23:31

I don’t know the folk who were behind organising Lynne’s trophy but they too are winners in my eyes.

Wonderful stuff.

LuckyFlickerman · 28/11/2023 02:07

Lovely to see. Well done, Lynne!

NotBadConsidering · 28/11/2023 05:52

“What the fuck?!” 🤣 Bless her. She fully deserves it.

LaviniasBigBloomers · 28/11/2023 19:37

I just popped back on to post that link, actually made me cry. All men too, from what I could see.

AvacadoFieldsForever · 28/11/2023 20:46

That’s so lovely.

Theres something in my eye.

UtopiaPlanitia · 29/11/2023 14:16

I saw this interview with Lynne (and Alexandra, another a woman refusing to play against male opponents in women’s competitions) pop up on YouTube and admired her even more for stating her case on public telly (I’d be very nervous).

The interviewer asked questions and Amy Anzel, with the opposing opinion, was interviewed too. I feel a bit bad for thinking that Amy comes across as smug when talking about the benefits to TW of them being in women’s sport but I think she does 😬

'Trans inclusion is RUINING women's sport!' | Female athletes slam 'unfair' transgender inclusion

Lynn Pinches, Alexandra Kunya and Amy Anzel debate transgender athletes in women's sport, following Lynn's boycott of a recent billiards match in Yorkshire.#...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpGQl0-ZvcI&pp=ygUfbHluZWUgcGluY2hlcyB0aGUgY2xhc2ggZ2IgbmV3cw%3D%3D

anyolddinosaur · 29/11/2023 15:08

Lynne was the real winner, her club recognised it.

ArcaneWireless · 29/11/2023 16:44

All I saw was two women rationally explaining how they were affected by physical differences and one saying it was ok because ‘hormone checks’.

Alexandra was right in that she can’t say it is cheating because she cannot question an individual’s intention. I might differ. But she is also right in that it is (physically) unfair. Deeply so.

And if Amy cannot open her eyes to see that hormones don’t shrink pool players limbs or hands for example then I’m not sure why she is deemed fit to pipe up.

To be fair she lost me when she said there are always injuries in ‘soccer’. That is as maybe. But it doesn’t take a genius to realise that the risk may be multiplied when an 8 stone player is mown down by someone significantly heavier/larger. And that will probably be the case if the opponent is biologically male.

Putting a tennis player into the mix helps not. Unless of course tennis has morphed into a contact sport where you can physically overpower your opponent to stop them getting the ball?

Swimming too? Mon now. I have size 5 flippers and short limbs. I was fairly good in my youth but swimming against an athlete with a significantly larger wing span and great big thighs and feet? I’d be lucky to keep up let alone win.

I doubt taking hormones and the subsequent checks could make anyone transform into a dainty poppet. I’d consider it myself if it did.

What it boils down is that folk need to play fair. And in so many sports that will mean biological males not competing against biological females.