Why not just remove gender restrictions on sport

[a_dreamer]

We have seen lots in recent years about equal pay, tennis, the us football team and others have all made progress here. Then we have the issue of people who have changed their gender. This does appear to be men becoming women and then wanting to compete rather than the other way round, but it's likely to become more widespread.

Today is the boat race, first the women, then the men. Why don't we just get rid of this and have sport open to all genders. Simply then we have the best competitors competing regardless of what their gender is

Premier League could do it next season as all league teams have a female team. Just combine them?

Same with tennis. Open up the draw to the same number as the female and male tournaments, but just have one big competition.

Would kill the argument on the pay and would mean everyone can compete at the highest level if they are good enough.

[a_dreamer]

OMITN said:

OP can I just check which prejudice you’re going for here?

Is it anti-biological female, anti-Trans or just a sort of indiscriminate “Women! Know your limits!” rant?

(Anyway, I’d have thought the obvious answer to your question here is male puberty.)

It's not that sinister. I just find it very interesting how there is so much talk in the media but it often ignores key factors that drive the difference in pay etc

I agree on your obvious point but that does not account for all sports does it?

Countdown said:

It's a bit like scrapping different classes of Motor racing and amalgamating Karting in with F1 - it would become boring if an F! car self-identified as a Formula Ford.

That's fine, but the F1 drivers get more money than the karters, they get more TV time, more sponsorship etc etc

F1 is probably less entertaining than a kart race in terms of overtakes and pure racing, but it's the pinnacle. Hence the attraction.

I'm all for women's sport being on TV by the way. The more sport on TV the better. It's the idea of equal prominence that I don't get (although we are not at that point). I like that BBC tend to show more women's games as that sport needs the prominence to help it catch up the men's game, which might start to shrink the gap in pay etc.

Unreal said:

I think we'll end up with at least four categories:

1. Born male
2. Born female
3. Trans post op
4. Mixed

If you're trans but pre-op you'd compete in 1, 2 or 4 but if in 4, say as in the mixed relays for track and field or swimming, you'd have to entered under 1 or 2.

It's making my head hurt just thinking about it. Let's face it, transgender athletes are no threat to male competitors. With females, the number of trans from men competing isn't yet significant but that doesn't mean it won't become a huge issue in the future.

Exactly right. It feels like an issue that might be coming. But also do you remember Caster Semenya? The poor lady was destroyed by media and competitors comments with stories round the world ranging from her being a cheat to questioning where she hid her bks.

Tests suggested she was female but that didn't stop all the abuse she got and the impact on her career. Maybe you'd eventually kill gender restrictions and make it on some hormone level instead (like horsepower restrictions in some racing)

Edited by a_dreamer on Sunday 3rd April 16:26

[a_dreamer]

Zarco said:

Dumbest thread of the week?

Certainly not helped by intellectual additions such as this.


For the record, as a few have realised this was not a serious comment on what should happen, more to highlight the issues in sports and how challenging it becomes.

As someone has said, should a lady who was born with longer legs be allowed to do the high jump where her genetic makeup gives her an unfair advantage Vs a women who has extra testosterone due to her genetics who then can't compete.

A born male who has always felt female but loves football so much can't play women's football, even if their biology makes them a similar weight and size as a female? Such a person would have to choose between living the gender they believe they should or playing the sport they love.

I really don't know what the answer should be. Every one will be challenged by someone. Many work places are pushing hard to create cultures in which people no matter their feelings can feel comfortable at work, yet in sports many people can't.

[a_dreamer]

Zarco said:

I'm not sure I lowered the bar that much.

We can disagree on the magnitude but it's great to see we agree on the direction.

[a_dreamer]

Abdul Abulbul Amir said:

I think when one governing body moves the rest will.

Yeah I think a fair few will have been hoping someone else is first