MicroWaveMay 27, 2025

GOP lawmaker left speechless when asked if he's trans during a hearing

https://lemmy.world/post/30328239

GOP lawmaker left speechless when asked if he's trans during a hearing - Lemmy.World

He huffed about how the question wasn’t “appropriate” even though his bill would result in kids being asked that same question. A Republican state rep from Michigan testifying about his anti-trans sports bill on Monday was left speechless after an out Democratic colleague began his questioning by asking, “Representative, can you tell me: are you trans?” A long beat staring down out gay Democratic state Rep. Mike McFall followed, before state Rep. Jason Woolford ® managed to reply, “Are you?” “I’m actually going somewhere with this,” he said to lawmakers in the small chamber. “Because I want to know, how does a 14-year-old girl prove whether or not she’s trans to a 50-year-old coach?”

Show threadJiveTurkeyMay 27, 2025

I guess I’m out of the loop on this subject and honestly I don’t know if the information I have is factual or not.

Do trans women generally have a physical advantage over women? Are there any rules for this kind of thing? Do they need to be transitioning or taking suppression drugs? This is a serious question.

Show threadColalextrastMay 27, 2025
Human beings are sexually dimorphic, but most of the advantages or disadvantages are negligible or can be overcome with training, so it makes little difference. It makes even less difference in middle and high school aged children, since everyone is at (somewhat) different points developmentally anyway.
Show threadMicroplasticbrainMay 27, 2025
Also sports were never fair to begin with, they are literally competitions of ableism
Show threadJiveTurkeyMay 27, 2025
Maybe but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t attempt to make them as fair as possible.
Show threadMicroplasticbrainMay 27, 2025
I disagree, especially if it means auditing childrens genetalia to vindicate a chud.
Show threadHacksawMay 27, 2025

Exactly, we’re talking about two different things when comparing children’s sports and Olympic sports and it’s easy to conflate the two.

Olympic competition needs fair rules to ensure the best humanity can produce is rewarded.

In children’s sports it’s more important kids learn skills, fitness, cooperation, and find a sense of community. So unless there is a massive outlier, the rules should maximise inclusion over “fairness”.

Show threadJiveTurkey
I agree. I feel like this is only made more complicated because of college sports and the money involved.
May 28, 2025 at 1:22amWeb