Transgendered Athletes in Professional Sports
 

ESPN 980’s Polian and Czban have been suspended for some on-air comments they made regarding transgender issues. Check out the story here.

[url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/dc-sports-bog/wp/2012/12/11/espn-980-hosts-disciplined-for-transgender-discussion/?wprss=rss_sports]ESPN 980 hosts disciplined for transgender discussion[/url]

First of all, let me say that I loathe Polin and Czban. I'm sick and tired of them complaining about RGIII taking hits, and saying he should just be a drop back passer. They're morons and i'm glad they’re off the air. I cant stand listening to them. They’re comments were pretty insensitive and crude, and their suspension is deserved. That said…

Their underlying argument is interesting. Their argument is that a man, who has an operation to become a woman, should not be allowed to play in woman’s sports. In the specific case they’re talking about, its a pre-op transgender.

Now, i don’t want to turn this into a thread about gender issues or whether people think its gross, immoral, courageous, wonderful, whatever. I want to get everyone’s thoughts on whether or not its “fair” for someone who is biologically male to participate in women’s sports.

I personally don’t think it is, and only for competitive issues. There’s a reason athletics are generally segregated by gender. Generally speaking, men are typically stronger, tougher, and faster than women. Pre-op or post-op, hormones or not, the individual still has the underlying bone and muscle structure of a male. Allowing such individuals to compete against people who are biologically female gives them an unfair competitive advantage. For that reason, I don’t think they should be allowed to participate in women’s professional sports. It’s just not fair to everyone else. That’s my opinion. What’s yours?

Re: Transgendered Athletes in Professional Sports
 

while i agree w stronger and faster, i wouldn't necessarily say that men are tougher than women.

i say let them have at it.

Re: Transgendered Athletes in Professional Sports
 

You should play with the cards you're dealt. If you've got a man's body you should play male sports and vice versa. If you are born without legs you don't run track. It's all the same argument to me.

Re: Transgendered Athletes in Professional Sports
 

I'm hoping this thread stays civil. Lots of issues here.

Personally, when it comes to athletics, I have no problem with transgendered individuals playing on cisgendered teams. But I think all things being considered, it's probably more likely that trans-man will end up having to play on a cisgen woman's team.

I have a ridiculous amount of trans friends and I know for them, they are living their life fully as their new gender and to them, (lets say its a trans-man) being told they have to play on a woman's team is actually emasculating for them. Transpeople know that its going to be an uphill battle once they start living their life as a new gender, but they don't expect people to make provisions for them as if they can't hack it (or for trans-woman, have an extra advantage) with their cisgen counterparts.

Re: Transgendered Athletes in Professional Sports
 

[quote=los panda;974439]while i agree w stronger and faster, i wouldn't necessarily say that men are tougher than women.

i say let them have at it.[/quote]

Let who have at it?

Re: Transgendered Athletes in Professional Sports
 

[quote=FRPLG;974440]You should play with the cards you're dealt. If you've got a man's body you should play male sports and vice versa. [B]If you are born without legs you don't run track[/B]. It's all the same argument to me.[/quote]

Tell that to this guy

[url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oscar_Pistorius]Oscar Pistorius - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[/url]

Re: Transgendered Athletes in Professional Sports
 

[quote=FRPLG;974444]Let who have at it?[/quote]anyone

Re: Transgendered Athletes in Professional Sports
 

[quote=DynamiteRave;974450]Tell that to this guy

[url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oscar_Pistorius]Oscar Pistorius - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[/url][/quote]

I absolutely would.

Re: Transgendered Athletes in Professional Sports
 

[quote=los panda;974457]anyone[/quote]

Men in woman's sports?

Re: Transgendered Athletes in Professional Sports
 

[quote=FRPLG;974469]I absolutely would.[/quote]

That's pretty horrible. I think anyone has the right to play as they want. They know the risks, advantages and disadvantages of entering such a field of work. It's as bad as saying women shouldn't be on the front lines of the military or work on submarines. Archaic thinking.

Re: Transgendered Athletes in Professional Sports
 

[quote=DynamiteRave;974476]That's pretty horrible. I think anyone has the right to play as they want. They know the risks, advantages and disadvantages of entering such a field of work. It's as bad as saying women shouldn't be on the front lines of the military or work on submarines. Archaic thinking.[/quote]

He was born with an inability to run naturally. Just like I am born without the ability to throw a 97 mph fastball. But if I take steroids to enable me to do so it is cheating. If he uses man-made legs it isn't? That's not logical to me.

Re: Transgendered Athletes in Professional Sports
 

[quote=FRPLG;974488]He was born with an inability to run naturally. Just like I am born without the ability to throw a 97 mph fastball. But if I take steroids to enable me to do so it is cheating. If he uses man-made legs it isn't? That's not logical to me.[/quote]

Well the runner aside, because he's in the paraolympics now... They did make a rule saying olympians have to have real legs (that's my lay way of saying it, not the pretty technical way)

I still think it's not hurting anyone if a trans gendered person plays with cisgendered people.

It's not like Kobe Bryant slapping on a wig and a dress. This is someone who's undertaken years of hormone therapy and physically and psychologically believes they are meant to be their new gender.

Topic just hits home to me because I know so many people who are transgendered and the world hasn't exactly understood or adapted to the idea that even though a man was born male, doesn't mean he is.

I understand your point though.

Re: Transgendered Athletes in Professional Sports
 

Get your popcorn ready...

Over/under on posts til this is locked?

Hmmmm

Re: Transgendered Athletes in Professional Sports
 

[quote=Mattyk;974499]Get your popcorn ready...

Over/under on posts til this is locked?

Hmmmm[/quote]

Won't make it past 3 pages. $5

Re: Transgendered Athletes in Professional Sports
 

[quote=Mattyk;974499]Get your popcorn ready...

Over/under on posts til this is locked?

Hmmmm[/quote]

Post #35