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.

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

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?

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.

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.

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.

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.

Let who have at it?

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.

Tell that to this guy

Oscar Pistorius - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oscar_Pistorius)

Let who have at it?anyone

Tell that to this guy

Oscar Pistorius - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oscar_Pistorius)

I absolutely would.

anyone

Men in woman's sports?

I absolutely would.

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.