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NZ researchers call for gender binary in elite sports to be abandoned
Phys.Org ^ | July 23, 2019 | by University of Otago

Posted on 07/23/2019 1:33:32 PM PDT by Red Badger

Existing gender categories in sport should perhaps be abandoned in favour of a more "nuanced" approach in the new transgender era, University of Otago researchers say.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) guidelines that allow male-to-female transgender athletes to compete in the women's category at the elite level has raised significant debate since being introduced in 2015. A recent case of New Zealand weightlifter Laurel Hubbard, a transwomen competing in the 2018 Commonwealth Games, has polarised opinions about the inclusion of transwomen in women's sport.

Bioethicist, Associate Professor Lynley Anderson, says that in discussing this topic we need to consider the principles of inclusion and fairness.

Associate Professor Anderson and Dr. Taryn Knox from the Dunedin Bioethics Centre, together with Otago physiologist Professor Alison Heather investigate the ethics and science around the IOC's decision in research published in the latest issue of the Journal of Medical Ethics.

They explain the recent IOC guidelines allow transwomen to compete in the women's division if (amongst other things) their testosterone is held below 10nmol/L.

Professor Heather says this is significantly higher than that of cis-women [whose sex and gender align as female].

"Science demonstrates that high adult levels of testosterone, as well as permanent testosterone effects on male physiology during in utero and early development, provides a performance advantage in sport and that much of this male physiology is not mitigated by the transition to a transwoman," she says.

Far from arguing that transwomen be excluded, the authors are in favour of a radical change to what they describe as "the outdated structure of the gender division currently used in elite sport".

They consider possible solutions in their research however, some options value inclusion more than fairness and vice versa. The potential solutions include excluding transwomen from competing in the women's division, creating a third division for transwomen and intersex women and calculating a handicap for transwomen based on their testosterone levels—similar to that used in golf.

Their preferred option is an extension of this with a proposed algorithm that could account for a range of parameters, both physical and social, including pyshiological parameters, gender identity and could include socioeconomic status.

Associate Professor Anderson says it is important to both extend and celebrate diversity while maintaining fairness for cis-women in sport.

"To be simultaneously inclusive and fair at the elite level some innovative thinking is required, rather than attempting to shoehorn people into either 'male' or 'female'.

"Perhaps the male/female binary should be reconsidered in favour of something more nuanced and useful?," she questions.


TOPICS: Australia/New Zealand; Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: dnadontneverchange; goddeterminesyourdna; olympics; sciencedeniers
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To: Red Badger

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKcWu0tsiZM
“Modern Educayshun”?

Just like “1984”, this video was intended as a parody and a warning, not as a blueprint, but the humorless anti-freedom democrats cannot tell the difference.

If they want nuance, I would suggest dividing sports based on chromosomes, not on gender at all. Anyone with a Y chromosome goes in one group - I’ll call them “BOYS” for “Bearers Of Y Sex-chromosomes”. Anyone with only X chromosomes goes in the other group; let’s call them “GIRLS” for “Grouping Internally Redundant Length Sex-chromosomes”.


21 posted on 07/23/2019 1:59:27 PM PDT by Pollster1 ("Governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed")
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To: catnipman

How did NZ get this screwed up? yes I know, we are not that far behind.


22 posted on 07/23/2019 2:00:34 PM PDT by gibsonguy
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To: Red Badger

How bout we end the pandering to perverts parade, and have women compete with women, and men compete with men.

Anything else, nope.

I am about done with this six year old pc bs nonsense.


23 posted on 07/23/2019 2:02:21 PM PDT by Secret Agent Man (Gone Galt; Not Averse to Going Bronson.)
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To: Secret Agent Man

have women compete with women, and men compete with men.


“Gee, our old LaSalle ran great...”


24 posted on 07/23/2019 2:04:05 PM PDT by sparklite2 (Don't mind me. I'm just a contrarian.)
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To: Red Badger

” ... principles of inclusion and fairness. “

Lynley Anderson, Taryn Knox, Allison Heather

Guess it’s all settled then.


25 posted on 07/23/2019 2:07:51 PM PDT by A strike (Import third world become third world)
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To: Red Badger

You know what? I don’t care.

Feminists bought this whole “gender is a social construct” BS for years. Now it’s coming back to bite them in the ass. I’m sure the politically correct will throw female athletes under the bus to be “inclusive” of the trans-gendered.

Anyway, other than a couple of sports, can’t say I ever pay much attention to women’s versions of sports, anyway. The men are just stronger, faster, more skilled, and so on.

But I do feel a little bad for young female athletes who are losing to biological men. Take it up with your sisters.


26 posted on 07/23/2019 2:11:14 PM PDT by -YYZ- (Strong like bull, smart like tractor.)
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To: Red Badger
I hope this all gets inserted into the current NFL touch-football matches that we are now stuck with as "pretend" football...

Require 50% of all NFL teams be women (or trans) and play the game naked so as to prevent any cheating... Can solve the issue over "hands on & touching" if tackling is replaced by use of a cattle prod carried by everyone on defense...

27 posted on 07/23/2019 2:12:53 PM PDT by SuperLuminal (Where is Sam Adams now that we desperately need him)
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To: Red Badger

Yes, and so be it. When the girls at college finally figure out that the left is poisonous, maybe they’ll stop voting for them. None of the numbskulls pushing for this crap ever suggest that there be a “trans” division in sports, no. Leftists are all about infiltrating and undermining organizations that already exist, like the Boy Scouts.


28 posted on 07/23/2019 2:20:28 PM PDT by Amberdawn
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To: Red Badger

I wouldn’t have any problem if they had a Mis(s/ses/ter) Tranny America pageant. Nobody would watch it, of course, but let them play dress-up if they want.


29 posted on 07/23/2019 2:22:04 PM PDT by IronJack
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To: Red Badger
and calculating a handicap for transwomen based on their testosterone levels—similar to that used in golf.

And sprinters with less fast twitch muscle must be given a handicap, maybe a ten meter heard start.

And swimmers with smaller hands and feet, and less lung capacity, must be given a head start.

And poorly coordinated and weaker gymnasts need a handicap in the scoring to make it more fair and inclusive.

Such things can be worked out for all sports with our ability to develop algorithms for any and everything. Everyone must be included and none excluded in these esteem building activities like competitive sports. Everybody gets to be a sports hero.

30 posted on 07/23/2019 2:24:51 PM PDT by Will88 (The only people opposing voter ID are those benefiting from voter fraud.)
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To: Will88

31 posted on 07/23/2019 2:27:38 PM PDT by Red Badger (Against stupidity the gods themselves contend in vain......................)
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To: Red Badger

Better idea: if you are not unambiguously female (XX chromosomes, born with female genitalia, female range testosterone) then you go compete with the men.


32 posted on 07/23/2019 2:28:05 PM PDT by SauronOfMordor (Socialists want YOUR wealth redistributed, never THEIRS!)
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To: Red Badger

“There’s XXX and XYY”

and XXY too

and i’d probably put them in Other, assuming they could even play sports at all; i’ve read that the XXY’s, for example, have quite a few serious extra heath problems associated with that genotype ...


33 posted on 07/23/2019 2:29:04 PM PDT by catnipman (Cat Nipman: Vote Republican in 2012 and only be called racist one more time!)
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To: Will88
Why is society pandering to the mentally ill? Shouldn't they be treated for their affliction? The combination of being mentally ill AND being a nitwit is truly over the top. What PC lunacy.
34 posted on 07/23/2019 2:30:49 PM PDT by hal ogen (First Amendment or Reeducation Camp?)
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To: Red Badger

Yep, after all the proper handicapping algorithms are developed for all sports, every event will be a tie made up of every participant. Everybody wins and nobody wins. The only way to be all inclusive and fair to all.


35 posted on 07/23/2019 2:32:40 PM PDT by Will88 (The only people opposing voter ID are those benefiting from voter fraud.)
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To: Red Badger
So now the All Blacks Rugby side can be laughed off the pitch when playing Tonga.
36 posted on 07/23/2019 2:35:29 PM PDT by Gay State Conservative (A Joke:Lynch,Comey And Brennan Walk Into A Barr...)
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To: hal ogen
Why is society pandering to the mentally ill?

Because the nitwits in our society have elevated being "inclusive" to the same lofty status as not discriminating against any protected group. They're practically synonymous; you can't discriminate against any protected group and you must be inclusive in all areas of society.

37 posted on 07/23/2019 2:37:27 PM PDT by Will88 (The only people opposing voter ID are those benefiting from voter fraud.)
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To: Red Badger

Actually I think they are trying to curb the end to women’s sports.
The rule should state that the competitor should be a trans to a women before ever competing, in other words, they couldn’t be a male sprinter already then change and be a female sprinter.
Imagine how female boxing will go if not.


38 posted on 07/23/2019 2:39:03 PM PDT by DainBramage
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To: Red Badger; P-Marlowe; John Semmens
calculating a handicap for transwomen based on their testosterone levels—similar to that used in golf.

Oh boy! Judges in the measured sports.

9.9, 9.9, 8.5, 9.5, 9.8

Our new Olympic 1500 meter champion is 17th place finisher, Martina Gutsitout!

She held her form throughout, Jim. Her arms were in perfect alignment, and the pirouette at the finish with a triple tumble, won the judges over.

39 posted on 07/23/2019 2:43:13 PM PDT by xzins (Retired US Army chaplain. Support our troops by praying for their victory.)
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To: Red Badger

“They explain the recent IOC guidelines allow transwomen to compete in the women’s division if (amongst other things) their testosterone is held below 10nmol/L.

Professor Heather says this is significantly higher than that of cis-women [whose sex and gender align as female]. “

That’s actually almost 5 times higher, than the upper range for (natural) women.


40 posted on 07/23/2019 2:55:48 PM PDT by USFRIENDINVICTORIA
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