Spoiler alert: The author’s arguments are based on factual falsehoods and weak reasoning. Males should NOT be permitted in women’s sports because ... they are WOMEN'S sports and males are not females.
The tennis example is amazing. And recently put to the test, quite by accident: Mira Andreeva, then just outside the women’s top 50 (but now in the top 20) was due to play an exhibition match against another woman, who had to pull out. The organisers found a man - ranked 1,175 in the world. Yes, outside the top thousand.
He lost his opening service game, perhaps through nerves. And then he wrapped it up in straight sets. Men are faster, hit bigger serves, cover more of the court, hit harder.
That article was stupid and it’s amazing that such stupid articles *keep getting written*. Anyway, good takedown.
I always think, if there are "as many genders as there are people!" or whatever, why are they not calling to abolish "men's" and "women's" teams period? If "sex isn't real," why are they not calling to abolish "male" and "female" teams period? The answer is the same as why they don't want "open categories." They want men who ID as women to have a pool of female athletes to beat up on and win over.
Stupid article. As you note Lia Thomas did poorly competing with men, but is a prize winner competing against women.
That contradicts the argument right there.
I notice comments were not enabled on the NYT article.
If you're interested -- another substacker's comments on the article:
https://www.thefemalecategory.com/p/the-new-york-times-gives-writer-whos
cheers
Thanks, I subscribed.
The tennis example is amazing. And recently put to the test, quite by accident: Mira Andreeva, then just outside the women’s top 50 (but now in the top 20) was due to play an exhibition match against another woman, who had to pull out. The organisers found a man - ranked 1,175 in the world. Yes, outside the top thousand.
He lost his opening service game, perhaps through nerves. And then he wrapped it up in straight sets. Men are faster, hit bigger serves, cover more of the court, hit harder.
That article was stupid and it’s amazing that such stupid articles *keep getting written*. Anyway, good takedown.
I always think, if there are "as many genders as there are people!" or whatever, why are they not calling to abolish "men's" and "women's" teams period? If "sex isn't real," why are they not calling to abolish "male" and "female" teams period? The answer is the same as why they don't want "open categories." They want men who ID as women to have a pool of female athletes to beat up on and win over.