Parkrun comments giving me the rage

[ChapmanFarm]

If I have to read one more time 'but parkrun is just meant to be fun' or 'you are only racing against yourself and your best time' I'm going to scream.

Why does that only apply to women?

If it's just a bit of fun there is absolutely no need for trans identified men to get a time or position either. They have the option to register as another gender or to just run and not register at all.

If it's all just fun and we moaning women should shut up, why do these arguments only apply one way?

No one is saying they can't run in whatever clothing/identity they like. Just that they shouldn't be recorded as women.

But somehow this is still wrong.

I thought I'd peaked long ago but this one is giving me the absolute rage.

No, there are occasions where sex-based categorisation is broadly useful. Like a gynaecology clinic.

Parkrun isn't one of those places. It actually doesn't matter much to me (or her) if you think it's a big deal or not what she's registered as. I'm making the point that, in practical terms, trans people are and will remain registered as their chosen gender.

You can call that cheating, but it's the reality of the situation. And I don't really see that any amount of name-calling will change that.

I suspect the end result of this may be removal of the gender categories, and possibly even the leaderboard.

If I was running it, that's what I'd do. If people (on both sides) are giving me flack over a feature then the quickest simplest thing is to remove that feature.

I suspect the choice of the term gender was an attempt to head this off - if you choose a meaningless term nobody can complain. Except they can. 😢

I'm going to suggest that it's much more on the shoulders of Sharron Davies, the WSU and the women on this thread who are pushing for this. I don't think trans people or their allies are asking for the removal of these categories! It works pretty well for me, as I said up top

I believe Parkrun did remove the publishing of times. But runners wanted it back.

So either you have it, but it’s based on fair categorisation or you don’t.

Pick a lane.

Why shouldn't women push for a fair category? If they’re going to have categories that is?

She doesn't want to? And it would be an odd move, given that she lives as a woman (and one who passes at that, although that's a whole topic for another day). I know you feel that's unfair, but speaking as a runner and a cis woman (I know that puts people's backs up, sorry!) I disagree.

Because they're women.
Men are MUCH more important, even when they're pretending to be women.

This isn't sarcasm. I fear it is the truth.

Well plenty of women don't want a woman’s category that includes men. And why should they?

Do you want a women's category that includes trans men?

So what about the women who want to compare their times against other women...?

....oh yeah... they're actual women, so they matter less than men.

I used to think, before this whole trans thing blew up, that we were well on our way to equality. Now I know that women remain the support sex, forever in second place. It makes me so bloody angry.

They are women. So yes of course.

Obviously in keeping with whatever doping policy they have in place.

It always comes back to that in the end.

The prioritisation of men’s desires over what’s fair for women.

Nobody at parkrun or any other amateur event is going to be drug tested.

Well they are. They obviously want categories to be unisex, otherwise males wouldn’t compete in the female category would they. The moment a male enters, it’s no longer a women’s category, it’s mixed sex. So they have erased the women’s category haven’t they?

Right, but I do that. I came 8th woman today, and first in my age category. If I was 9th, behind a trans woman, it wouldn't have mattered to me.

Your friend is not female.
It is sex that has a big effect on sporting performance. Not “gender”
or “gender expression”. It is not fair on female people to have open categories.
It does not work the other way around; no female is going to make a dent in the male performance stats or knock a male off the top spot.

How many of you have ever done a parkrun? Doping policy?!

A woman’s category and an open category would cover everyone, surely? So why not do it like that?

No Man can live as a woman. At best he’s a man living his fantasy of how a woman lives. Usually referring to sexist outdated tropes and stereotypes.

Well that’s great.

It would matter to some women. Why aren’t they important here?

What about the womn who was 10th? Or do her feelings not matter? Long as the males are happy. Am I right?

Yes, no problem if they aren’t doping with steroids.

The TIMs won't be able to win!

TBH I wouldn't care about it that much either. I would be annoyed if they removed the age/sex categories because I want to compare myself to others in my age group. If an obvious transwoman beat me I would just consider myself a place above my actual finishing place.

It's not a hill I would die on. It's not like there's medals or prize money.

That's great for you. Do not presume to make that choice on behalf of other women whose choices have been removed to pander to men.