Forum > Running
Transgender athletes in high stakes races
diablita:
The Globe had an article up yesterday regarding transgender athletes in races with a focus on women who may or may not have taken medication to suppress testosterone levels:
https://www.boston.com/sports/boston-marathon/2018/04/08/boston-marathon-trans-women
I'm specifically asking the question here (versus the main circus ring) because I'd like to know how other runners feel about this.
Do you think a trans female racer should race as a female if no testosterone suppression medication has been taken? Does it make a difference to you if the racer is elite and/or the race is high stakes? If you're a cisgender female runner, how would you feel if you took second place in an important race and the winner were a trans female who had not medically transitioned? Any thoughts on transgender males who have/haven't transitioned?
Arrojo:
--- Quote from: diablita on April 09, 2018, 08:44:32 AM ---The Globe had an article up yesterday regarding transgender athletes in races with a focus on women who may or may not have taken medication to suppress testosterone levels:
https://www.boston.com/sports/boston-marathon/2018/04/08/boston-marathon-trans-women
I'm specifically asking the question here (versus the main circus ring) because I'd like to know how other runners feel about this.
Do you think a trans female racer should race as a female if no testosterone suppression medication has been taken? Does it make a difference to you if the racer is elite and/or the race is high stakes? If you're a cisgender female runner, how would you feel if you took second place in an important race and the winner were a trans female who had not medically transitioned? Any thoughts on transgender males who have/haven't transitioned?
--- End quote ---
It's only a (potential) issue for elites or for other races where such women have a chance to medal. For mid-pack schmoes like me (or mid-pack women analogous to me) its a non-issue but many people use it as a sword to mask their anti-transgender bias.
At the elite level (or even at a local masters track meet for example where medals are up for grabs). I do think testosterone suppression medication is necessary. I wonder why such a person would not take testosterone suppression. If you truly believe you are a female wouldn't you want to not grow facial hair and have a deep voice and other things that testosterone gives you? I guess I don't know enough - are they medical reasons why a trans-female would not take testosterone suppression?
diablita:
I agree that I don't know enough either. Maybe there's a high cost associated with the medication?
But also, transition is a gradual process so you could have someone who has finally decided to go through the process and perhaps started it. I'd hate to think that person would have one more thing they can't do easily (register for a race) if a talented runner.
It's pretty complicated.
Suesquatch:
Transgender folks should not be allowed to compete. Women still have the advantage as trans women of larger hearts and stronger bones and deeper lung capacity and estrogen doesn't do much to change that. Trans men - well, with rare exception, I don't know why they would want to compete because even on steroids they're not going to be as strong as cis men. Your mileage may vary on that one, obviously.
Arrojo:
--- Quote from: Suesquatch on April 10, 2018, 10:12:03 AM ---Transgender folks should not be allowed to compete.
--- End quote ---
Period? End of discussion? No competition for you, go to your room! What if they are a back of the backer or mid-packer with zero hope of winning a medal? What if they (like the masses of us) just want to run a 5K or a 10K or finish a marathon. What if they are a charity runner who wants to raise money for domestic violence victims and their goal is to finish the marathon in 4 hours?
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