Canada Women @ Tokyo Olympics

[Dude]

Cant remember her name (keeper) and I should cause she seriously won Canada the gold with her performance all tourney is retiring on top

She was awesome. I called her out early in the tourney, then she went on to be a beast of a shot blocker in PKs, plus I love the way she was getting in the Swede's kitchens...chatting to them, smiling....

 

[mtkb]

As far as I understand Quinn identifies as non-binary, as in neither male nor female. They are not transitioning to "become"/identify as male, so no hormone therapies etc. that might run afoul of WADA or the IOC.

Re Olympic standards on this - it is a tricky area (and an emerging area of law). No joke, they used to do physical inspections of athletes back when the Olympics first opened up women's competition to determine if an athlete was/was not female.

I don't see a bunch of men suddenly identifying as female for the purpose of winning gold medals. That is something that is pushed constantly by media etc. and I think it's a total straw man argument.

That said, there are areas where the lines blur and Quinn is just the latest example. Not sure if anyone remembers the South African runner Caster Semenya, but that left the IOC in all kind of a sticky situation. She was born biologically female (and identifies as female) but naturally had closer to male levels of testosterone in her body. Basically, she was close to being a hermaphrodite from a hormonal stand point. She won the 800 going away and other female athletes cried foul.

WADA and the IOC currently have maximum levels for the amount of testosterone allowed to be present in a female competitors body (hence why men can't just wake up in the morning and declare themselves "female" before heading out to win a gold medal...). This meant Semenya had to take testosterone reducing medications in order to compete and this, obviously, affected her abilities. There was a huge legal battle over this, it went all the way to the court for arbitration of sport, because this was naturally occuring testosterone in her body. She was born that way. The court ultimately ruled in her favour, but it understandably kind of took the fun out of sports for her.

All this to say that it is a tricky situation and one that it's going to continue to develop over the coming years. However, no, don't expect dozens of men to simply opt to compete in the women's categories because it is "easier to win"...that's just ridiculous. It is about letting people live their lives as they feel they are meant to. As was mentioned, the transgender population is an incredible minority, so it is unlikely to be an everyday issue. But it will continue to attract attention.

As for Quinn, they aren't gaining any kind of athletic advantage by being non-binary, so I don't see the issue. Good for them to be able to live their best life and play the game that they love at the highest level where they have earned their spot.

Re the pronouns - boy do I feel bad for the commentators. You've got 21/22 she/hers and 1 they/them in a fast moving game. And you've got a bunch of Twitter trolls waiting to pounce when you make a mistake. Honestly, the pronoun thing seems like it should be simple, but it's just not. The vast, vast majority of us have lived our lives with just he and she. Not only that, but "they" was also taught to us as meaning multiple, not singular. So ya, I think people need to lighten up on the pronouns. It's going to take some time...

Agreed on Quinn and on Semenya - if you're showing up natural as can be (well, by Olympic standards anyway), like those two have, there can be no legitimate complaints about them succeeding. Michael Phelps has some weird genetic mutation w.r.t. his lungs if I recall correctly; no one is running around trying to take his medals.

That said... the testosterone argument is the true straw man argument. By that logic, an in prime Arnold could have lowered his testosterone just in time to compete as a female weightlifter. Ridiculous. Testosterone is not a Delorean, end of story.

I mean no disrespect, but I think it's a bit disingenuous to suggest that the problem of men identifying as females to compete is limited to those with designs on gold medals. It applies to every male who might hope to qualify for a team, to every male who might hope to acquire a full-ride college scholarship... but in any event, even one male taking the spot of an actual female is wrong, full stop. And in our narcissistic society, I have every confidence that an inch given will be a mile taken - look at the preferred pronoun nonsense, for instance.

My give a fcuk factor about female sports in general is not particularly high. I do, however, see huge value in the title IX protections that allow so many young ladies to get good educations from good schools and continue their athletic endeavours as far as they can take them. It's one of the few pockets of affirmative action that I'm full cheerleader on.

I'm not sure how many here have been following the college football news, but with the recent court decision that college athletes are entitled to be financially compensated, there are movements from the power football programs to completely rework the division 1 makeup. One of the knock on effects I see as a real danger is the end of the funding of female sports for most (or, worst case, all) schools.

The point is that female sports are quite vulnerable, and the last thing they need are males coming along and taking what spots remain, on the basis of a point in time testosterone reduction and what they "identify" as...

 

[mtkb]

Side note on gender equity - the Olympics are removing the men's 50km racewalk... merely because the women do not have a 50km racewalk...

 

[freddy]

Congratulations to the Canadian Women. Awesome achievement. But, I must admit that a part of me really wants to console all those Swedish players. I even have the warm oil to help soothe those sore muscles

 

[Dude]

Side note on gender equity - the Olympics are removing the men's 50km racewalk... merely because the women do not have a 50km racewalk...

Also because the world is in short supply of nerds who can walk really fast.

 

[Dude]

Congratulations to the Canadian Women. Awesome achievement. But, I must admit that a part of me really wants to console all those Swedish players. I even have the warm oil to help soothe those sore muscles

#9, Onmomnomnommongnomnom

 

[akslop]

Congratulations to the Canadian Women. Awesome achievement. But, I must admit that a part of me really wants to console all those Swedish players. I even have the warm oil to help soothe those sore muscles

 

[freddy]

View attachment 31127

Not my first pick

 

[akslop]

Not my first pick

But you did say all. TBH she would be my first. Im a save the best for last kinda guy. LoL

 

[freddy]

I'm a man of my word. I promise to do all of them.

 

[bulljive]

Also because the world is in short supply of nerds who can walk really fast.

Christ I was watching part of this thinking the same. Look at these gomers. How the fcuk did you get into this sport. These were the kids walking around the track when you had to run in gym class.

 

[Regs]

The dude is from Richmond, what else is there to do there except walk around?

 

[akslop]

How the fcuk did you get into this sport.

I ask the same question when I see the 2 man luge

 

[Dude]

Christ I was watching part of this thinking the same. Look at these gomers. How the fcuk did you get into this sport. These were the kids walking around the track when you had to run in gym class.

Right? I mean, there is obvious athletic prowess there. Incredible endurance. All that. But fcuk me, the cool kids are actually running.

 

[utah]

Reminds me of good old rookie nights....Don't drop the weiner

 

[Rangerforever]

Or Dude's Team Christmas parties...

 

[Regs]

This is too funny, girls can be so excitable

 

[Rangerforever]

Ha Ha.

Love the Canadian Flags and that is class from her teammates.

 

[Regs]

Can you name BOTH these 2 players?

 

[dezza]