Re: In school sports

I feel like this question is sometimes used as a distraction from the fact that there are people who, regardless anyone else's opinion about it, identify as a gender different from the one that they were assigned at birth and are living as that new gender. They change their names, bodies, hormones in an effort to align both their own and other's perceptions of themselves with what they identify as their own gender. They're part of a protected class because they experience discriminatory and violent actions across many sectors of society. I don't think we should start going down any path of legislating to people what they can or can't call themselves or changes they can or can't make to their bodies. So if we're not going to do that we have to accept the existence of trans people in our society and try to treat them like we would treat any other person.

But I will answer the question. I do think a man who believes he is a woman is really a woman. I don't think gender can all be summed up with what's between your legs. Your sense of identity isn't something you're born with, it's something that you develop throughout your life. It's based on your experiences, friends, role models and all kinds of other subconscious processing. You weren't born being a man (assuming you are), it's to some extent something you've learned to do throughout your life.

So if someone says they identify more with another gender, how can I tell them they're wrong? It's their personal identity, I can't discredit that. Especially if they have or are in the process of transitioning to live their life as that other gender.

Whatever you think about my answer, I have question as well. Why do you think trans people need to have their own existence proved?

Clemson_Chris®

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Feb 1, 2021, 11:47 AM

Appreciate the nuance, I just have a few things to add in response.

I agree that this could potentially lead to a situation in which cis female athletes are outcompeted by trans female athletes. However, it doesn't seem like this is a looming problem. For nine years the NCAA has allowed transgender athletes to compete on teams consistent with their gender identity with no disruption to women’s collegiate sports. Maybe it's a bigger issue in high school sports, but I think its an overgeneralization to assume that including trans people in women's sports would create some massive competitive imbalance.

I think the bigger issue here is a not really put in perspective. In a 2015 survey of 27,715 transgender people in the US, 22 percent of trans women who were perceived as trans in school were harassed so badly they had to leave school because of it. Another 10 percent were kicked out of school. Excluding trans people from playing sports will likely have a more negative impact on them than any positive impact for the rest of society.

As far as military, police, firemen, etc. I have no issue with any person of any gender participating in these careers, as long as they are able to pass whatever requirements are necessary for the job. Not related to the trans issue really.

I again agree that there could be a potential for abuse in restrooms, but it just doesn't seem to be the case. Plenty of states and cities have had transgender-inclusive nondiscrimination laws regarding public bathrooms for years, and none of them have reported an increase in public safety incidents in restrooms.

The existence of protected classes ensures that "discrimination with jobs or anything like that" doesn't happen. Trans people are protected under the civil rights act of 1964, and I'm definitely not down to get rid of that. Protected classes in the US (sex, race, age, disability, color, creed, national origin, religion, or genetic information) seem kind of important in trying to eliminate discrimination.

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Science

Re: Science

Easy Soccerkrzy will be mad

What a really weird thing to call me out on. I've never

Re: Science

Re: Science

Re: Science

The whole issue "is a small part of the overall picture".

Are regulations based on science?

What is your point here?

My point is that males should not be allowed to compete

Re: My point is that males should not be allowed to compete

Athletics is what the EO was about, hurting

Re: Athletics is what the EO was about, hurting

In school sports