I'm going to re-summarize my position on this topic.
First, I'm not confident in my position on this topic. I have a position but I question it.
I think that in public school K-12 sports there should be relatively open options for transgender kids to participate in sports as the gender they identify as. Possibly there should be a grace period between when transition started and when you can begin playing as your identified gender.
Sports at this level should be more about education, growth, learning, etc. than about competing. I know we have turned high school sports into something more than that, but I think that's a mistake. I'll add a few more thoughts regarding scholarships further down.
I think college sports should be more discriminating and have higher standards for who can participate as a transgender athlete. I don't know exactly what criteria should be considered. I'd leave that up to the colleges and the people involved in the individual sports. I consider college sports as just as professional as minor league baseball and the G League. I think athletes should be paid, should be able to have sponsorships, etc.. I wouldn't object to colleges or specific college sports not offering scholarships to trans athletes. However, if college sports wants to stick with the full on BS of student-athletes then I think they should be forced to use Public School guidelines, especially if they are a state funded school.
Pro Sports is a commercial enterprise all the way, They should be able to establish whatever rules they want for their business.
Olympics, world record eligible competitions should figure out how to establish guidelines for trans athletes. I'm honestly not comfortable with the idea of cisgender world records being replaced by trans women's accomplishments.
I think this allows for a few things. First, that for younger trans people they might benefit from sports the way that anyone does, and learn about sportsmanship, teamwork, competition, working toward goals both personal and group, how to win and lose and move forward. I don't think it is acceptable to deny these learning opportunities from trans people either by forcing them to compete as a gender they don't identify as (of the dozen or so trans youth I've met over the last several years, they simply will not participate if that's the case) or just deny them participation in this educational activity altogether.
By allowing colleges to set conditions on scholarships you remove any incentive for a fraudster to compete as a trans person when they are not. By setting conditions on world records and olympic participation you remove any incentive for a person to fraudulently participate as if they are trans. By allowing pro sports to set their own standards on the issue you potentially eliminate the possibility of people pretending to be trans so that they can be a pro female athlete. You might also prevent actual trans people from these things, and since all you nice folks insist that you don't think trans people are faking their gender identity this should make you the most happy... denying trans people from ****ing up your female sports that you have all always cared so much about.
First, I'm not confident in my position on this topic. I have a position but I question it.
I think that in public school K-12 sports there should be relatively open options for transgender kids to participate in sports as the gender they identify as. Possibly there should be a grace period between when transition started and when you can begin playing as your identified gender.
Sports at this level should be more about education, growth, learning, etc. than about competing. I know we have turned high school sports into something more than that, but I think that's a mistake. I'll add a few more thoughts regarding scholarships further down.
I think college sports should be more discriminating and have higher standards for who can participate as a transgender athlete. I don't know exactly what criteria should be considered. I'd leave that up to the colleges and the people involved in the individual sports. I consider college sports as just as professional as minor league baseball and the G League. I think athletes should be paid, should be able to have sponsorships, etc.. I wouldn't object to colleges or specific college sports not offering scholarships to trans athletes. However, if college sports wants to stick with the full on BS of student-athletes then I think they should be forced to use Public School guidelines, especially if they are a state funded school.
Pro Sports is a commercial enterprise all the way, They should be able to establish whatever rules they want for their business.
Olympics, world record eligible competitions should figure out how to establish guidelines for trans athletes. I'm honestly not comfortable with the idea of cisgender world records being replaced by trans women's accomplishments.
I think this allows for a few things. First, that for younger trans people they might benefit from sports the way that anyone does, and learn about sportsmanship, teamwork, competition, working toward goals both personal and group, how to win and lose and move forward. I don't think it is acceptable to deny these learning opportunities from trans people either by forcing them to compete as a gender they don't identify as (of the dozen or so trans youth I've met over the last several years, they simply will not participate if that's the case) or just deny them participation in this educational activity altogether.
By allowing colleges to set conditions on scholarships you remove any incentive for a fraudster to compete as a trans person when they are not. By setting conditions on world records and olympic participation you remove any incentive for a person to fraudulently participate as if they are trans. By allowing pro sports to set their own standards on the issue you potentially eliminate the possibility of people pretending to be trans so that they can be a pro female athlete. You might also prevent actual trans people from these things, and since all you nice folks insist that you don't think trans people are faking their gender identity this should make you the most happy... denying trans people from ****ing up your female sports that you have all always cared so much about.
