RazorOye
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I am not supportive of transgender athletes participating in gendered-sports. At least not broadly. I've said before that I don't know what I think and I don't have any of the answers.
I am okay with there being a Men's This and a Women's That.
Now, I said I don't think it's about 'fairness' - so I think it's reasonable to ask what do I think it's about, for me, anyway. And I'm not sure.
But I've thought about it and at least two dynamics are in play for me.
First, competition and second, excellence.
I'd rather watch an excellent girls team play a decent boys team in basketball than an excellent boys team play a truly awful girls team. Because it would be more competitive. I don't want to watch crap boys vs. excellent boys because they are the same "sex"
Sex isn't a factor there.
But does that mean sex isn't ever a factor? of course not. I'm fine with the use of sex as a determinant or classification.
I also think that different types of competition merits different consideration and becomes a different conversation. So that isn't an absolute, either.
We separate D1 football from D3 football. I don't and wouldn't enjoy LSU playing Louisiana College, either.
As for the second, when it comes to excellence, I'm okay with the US Women dominating another team in soccer. I'm okay with Usain Bolt making every race a non-factor. I'm fine with Ken Jennings running away with each episode of Jeopardy!. I love watching Simone Biles shred her competition.
In each of these cases, each time the competitor steps into the arena, it's not going to be "fair" and that's fine.
Then again, I'm not really of the 'every participant needs a ribbon' type, either.
I am okay with there being a Men's This and a Women's That.
Now, I said I don't think it's about 'fairness' - so I think it's reasonable to ask what do I think it's about, for me, anyway. And I'm not sure.
But I've thought about it and at least two dynamics are in play for me.
First, competition and second, excellence.
I'd rather watch an excellent girls team play a decent boys team in basketball than an excellent boys team play a truly awful girls team. Because it would be more competitive. I don't want to watch crap boys vs. excellent boys because they are the same "sex"
Sex isn't a factor there.
But does that mean sex isn't ever a factor? of course not. I'm fine with the use of sex as a determinant or classification.
I also think that different types of competition merits different consideration and becomes a different conversation. So that isn't an absolute, either.
We separate D1 football from D3 football. I don't and wouldn't enjoy LSU playing Louisiana College, either.
As for the second, when it comes to excellence, I'm okay with the US Women dominating another team in soccer. I'm okay with Usain Bolt making every race a non-factor. I'm fine with Ken Jennings running away with each episode of Jeopardy!. I love watching Simone Biles shred her competition.
In each of these cases, each time the competitor steps into the arena, it's not going to be "fair" and that's fine.
Then again, I'm not really of the 'every participant needs a ribbon' type, either.