Trans Swimmers Are Not Here To ‘Dominate’ And ‘Rob’ Your Cis Faves Of Medals, They’re Here To Swim

If there was a competition to see which sport could become the most openly transphobic, swimming would be winning, and it’d be competing against itself. Some people just won’t be happy until we backstroke all of our progress to the prehistoric age (which was arguably less fucked than now). International Swimming Federation FINA (which stands for Federation Internationale de Natation Amateur) announced there will be changes to the sport during a Monday press conference. President of the Federation Husain Al-Musallam confirmed there will be an “open category” for trans athletes, which separates them from swimming with cisgender athletes at the highest level. Trans women can only swim with cisgender women if they “completed” their transition before the age of 12. It’s an arbitrary number plucked from the air that locks trans women out of fairly competing at an elite level with their peers. What is a “completed” transition exactly? Who gets to decide this? How many children at the age of 12 or under are ready to transition and on top of this, how many know they want to be professional swimmers? Hell, how many children are legally allowed to get gender affirmation surgery under the age of 18? If FINA’s decision sounds like blatant discrimination, that’s because it is! “I do not want any athlete to be told they cannot compete at the highest level,” said Al-Musallam, telling trans athletes that they cannot compete at the highest level. “I will set up a working group to set up an open category at our meets. We will be the first federation to do that.” If any of this sounds like a good

Michael Phelps

Michael Phelps is physically far superior to most professional swimmers regardless of gender, shall we ban him too?

— Raven Francis (@TheepicFrancis) June 20, 2022

Again: transgender athletes have been able to compete in the Olympics since 2004 and HAVE NOT dominated everything since then

This is a debate that lacks a problem and this decision by FINA is unnecessarily cruel. https://t.co/ihmt7Myx2q

— Jácķ (@Jack_WJB) June 19, 2022

Did FINA crack down on sexual harassment by coaches?
Is FINA pushing for more funding of youth programs and greater access for women?
Is FINA enhancing funding for emerging nations in the sport?
Is FINA leading a push for more women in media and administrative positions?

— Karleigh Chardonnay Webb (@ChardonnayM) June 20, 2022

I'd love to know that too. It's wild to restrict the rights of a whole category of women without making that pretty public.

— Unlicensed Transexual Erica ⚢(she/her) (@TS_Erica_S) June 19, 2022

Ricki Coughlanspoke to the ABC

The world swimming body has just announced that it wishes to do neither of these things and instead fold to a debate which has been largely centred around transphobic ideology. 2/

— Ricki Coughlan (@RickiCoughlan) June 19, 2022

Gatekeepers: "You can't compete unless you transitioned before 12."
Trans Kids: "So you'll give us puberty blockers then?"
Gatekeepers: "God no! You're far too young!"

— ⚢ Evie (SNRI Arc) (@SleepyCatten) June 19, 2022

that's the idea. it's a loophole that basically allows a definitive ban

— the real Madeline Celeste ‍ (@fembunny__) June 19, 2022

There’s no such thing as a “complete” transition. What an absolute mess.

— Annabelle Rose (Anna) (@AnnabelTheRose) June 20, 2022

Karen PickeringSharron Davies

Science proves? Where is this Science?

You're merely talking about the average male vs the average female. Sport isn't based on the averages.

You're 5ft 10" right? I'm 5ft 6" who has height and limb advantage? Me or you?

Bigger heart and lungs? 1/

— Rachel Tomes (@RachelT1722) June 19, 2022

I can’t tell you how proud I am of my sport @fina & @fina_president for doing the science, asking the athletes/coaches and standing up for fair sport for females. Swimming will always welcome everyone no matter how you identify but fairness is the cornerstone of sport https://t.co/1IaMkIFOkX

— Sharron Davies MBE (@sharrond62) June 19, 2022

Cate CampbellJ.K. Rowling

The post Trans Swimmers Are Not Here To ‘Dominate’ And ‘Rob’ Your Cis Faves Of Medals, They’re Here To Swim appeared first on PEDESTRIAN.TV .