Is he (or is it they) really Non Binary?

[Justme56]

https://marathonhandbook.com/did-a-runner-exploit-bostons-non-binary-qualifying-standards/

I saw this being discussed on X.

Given that non-binary is a stupid made up term, then no, he's exploited nothing.

There is no qualifying criteria for being non-binary other than saying the magic words "Look at me, I'm non-binary!" (The look at me bit seems to be important as far as I can tell.)

I'm non-binary right now!

And now I'm not.

Changed my mind, wanna be a cool hip enby again.

Actually, you know what, this isn't for me.

Good on this guy for showing up the bollocks for what it truly is.

What an absurd article. So close to seeing the problem and still advocating for it.

I agree with Vimes. Nothing has been exploited here.

The runner identifies as non-binary. Under BM's standards, that qualifies them to enter in the NB category.

In fact, the tone of the article is rather transphobic throughout, beginning with the word "exploit" in the title. It's as if the writer doesn't believe the runner is non-binary.

"the interim system may be vulnerable to good-faith loopholes, scenarios where runners register in a category not as an expression of identity, but as a way to meet easier entry standards"
- how transphobic!

"What this case reveals, instead, is the difficulty of balancing inclusivity with competitive fairness"

• Yep, I can't disagree with that

"For now, Kwayu’s entry is legitimate under the rules as written"

• Yes, and so it should be

Oh my gosh. This is just amazing to witness. How can that journalist sit there with the facts laid out in front of her and still not get it? I just can't compute the intellectual complacency and lack of curiosity that could lead to such an outcome.

" As participation in the non-binary division increases, the B.A.A. will soon have enough data to establish time standards that reflect the actual performance range of non-binary entrants, rather than borrowing from an existing gender category."

I mean what does she actually think is going to happen here? Somehow, magically, women with non binary identities are going to start running faster than other women? Will this journalist even notice or care when inevitably the non binary category functions essentially as a men's B group?

And, my gosh the hypocrisy of criticising the runner's adherence (or not) to a non binary identity! He's NON BINARY, why are they trying to make him choose and stick to one half of a binary?! When competing in men's categories is no bar for transwomen who want to beat women, isn't this an NBphobic response?

I wonder what aroused suspicions in the first place. Lack of bold coloured asymmetrical hair do? No faux gentle expressions with peace sign in selfies? Glasses too small?

Perhaps he’s like Philip/pippa bunce. Some days a man, some days a woman, some days a father of two, some days the financial times’ 33rd best woman in finance…

"For now, Kwayu’s entry is legitimate under the rules as written. There’s no suggestion of cheating or misrepresentation, only that Boston’s temporary standards created a situation where a runner could qualify through one category while failing in another."

There is no way to square this stupid circle...because of the differing athletic abilities of men and women. Any standard will be immediately unfair for either men or women.

As pp said, so close to getting it....

Who is to say zir's not non-binary? As far as I know, it adds up to a feeling in zir head. There is no objective or observable measurement. The entrant applied under the rules fair and square.

As a philosophical concept, NB is a cool one and it's been exploited by sci-fi since the 1960s. Trying to apply it in practice when you run up against the reality of sexed bodies is more difficult.

So the BM introduced a non-binary category without defining eligibility for that category? I'm just asking, I don't know much about it.

"In the long run [haha! we see what you did there], this may prove to be a useful test case"

• oh it will, for sure

Yup, what they said 😁

They looks as non-binary as anyone else I've seen who says they is non-binary.

Etc not non-binary enough

Entry into the Boston Marathon is so competitive that it was absolutely obvious that some men would use the non-binary category to gain entry, as the qualifying time is set to the women's category time standard. Which it has to be, otherwise pretty much no women who say they are non-binary could enter the non-binary category as they wouldn't be able to make the time standard.

So, now men have two categories to choose from, one which they qualify for by sex and one which the only qualification is how you feel. No one with any kind of ability to think their way out of a paper bag should complain about this situation, it is the intended effect!

I imagine the idea looked good on paper

So he can't identify as NB because he looks like a regular bloke?! I don't think that's the rules for it. It's not like trans where they might say you need to be on hormones, 'live as' your opposite sex persona for X years etc...

So it's fine. I guess it means they basically are competing in a group where there is an unknown number of males or females. Presumably a 'NB' who was female would be at a disadvantage in this case against this bloke but that's the whole thing isn't it. NB can be a man or a woman.

You can comment on the article if you're willing to give them your email. Don't know if comments are vetted.

If the Boston Marathon analyse the times of the non-binary category runners, they will find a distinct bimodal distribution of the times.... how will they then use that information to set a qualifying standard?? It's a puzzle!

Yes, the performance range will be interesting SilenceInside

There's a MN thread from 2022 that's relevant here.
www.mumsnet.com/talk/womens_rights/4667370-some-light-relief-in-sport

I thought the point was that they identified as male for all the other marathons they entered (both before and after this one), but said they were non binary for this particular marathon - and a cynic might think that this was purely because they wouldn’t have qualified if they had ticked the male box. Maybe they are non binary but don’t like to announce that usually, but chose to do they would qualify this time. Maybe they chose to take advantage of the fact they could tick a different box and automatically qualify. Only one person knows that answer.

Thank you, that’s the thing I was trying to remember!

If the Boston Marathon analyse the times of the non-binary category runners, they will find a distinct bimodal distribution of the times...

Only if they differentiate between the male and female "non-binary" runners. How are they going to do that?

I suppose they could ask an additional question below the "non-binary" check box. I'm sure that would go down well.

'Non-binary' is such an imprecise category -
e.g this online definition
denoting, having, or relating to a gender identity that does not conform to traditional binary beliefs about gender, which indicate that all individuals are exclusively either male or female.
which doesn't make sense because it conflates 'gender' with the observable fact of being male or female, i.e. sex.

Except for the outliers who believe that sex is a spectrum, most people know and accept that they are either male, or female. So nobody is 'non-binary' as far as their biological sex is concerned [pace the tiny number of people who possibly have both sex characteristics who keep getting mentioned, but I don't know if there is medical evidence?].

You can declare yourself NB, but that does not change your biological status as exclusively male, or exclusively female.

Not 'conforming to traditional binary beliefs about gender' is something else altogether.

By definition GCers firmly reject the 'traditional binary beliefs about gender' - that's the 'C' in 'GC' - so I guess we could all justifiably call ourselves non-binar, if we wanted to.

Perhaps that's a good response to somebody who is making a bit too much of a fuss about being non-binary - a cheery 'Really? That's a coincidence, so am I!'

@Chersfrozenface well, the bimodal distribution will exist in the data, assuming they have sufficient data points, regardless of whether they have asked for the sex of the participants. I assume they have not. Then they will face the tricky task of identifying the two groups that have caused this bimodal distribution without reference to the participant’s sex….

The full results for the non-binary category at the 2025 event are here - all 72 finishers.
https://www.baa.org/races/boston-marathon/results/

Yeah. It sounds suss but non binary is kinda suss in general so I say he's not really done anything wrong.

Um, he's probably gender fluid and just happens to identify as nonbinary whenever he's filling out certain race forms. It's a real thing people, really it is.