Scott McDonald of Newsweek recently wrote an article discussing how the NCAA has stated it may prohibit states that ban transgender athletes from hosting championship events. This action would penalize these 30 (and growing) states by protecting their rights to their own accomplishments and preventing them from experiencing the revenue boosts that come along with hosting a championship.
The NCAA Board of Governors on Monday issued a statement saying it “firmly and unequivocally supports the opportunity for transgender student-athletes to compete in college sports,” claiming the decision is in line with its “values of inclusion and fair competition.”
The NCAA seems to have created a paradox in which biological female athletes are marginalized in women’s sports in the name of inclusion of athletes who scientifically have a biological advantage over them. Allowing transgender athletes in women’s sports creates an unlevel playing field, diminishes the joy from seeing who wins (because you know before the competition starts), and takes opportunities away from women.
Theoretically, feminists and their organizations should be in favor of the mission set forth by those such as Save Women’s Sports. After all, their entire existence is to create equality of the sexes. In spite of this, countless feminist organizations, like the Feminist Majority Foundation, are condemning legislation that protects women’s sports, claiming that “being excluded can lead to harmful outcomes with regard to social and emotional well-being.” They’re ignoring the wellbeing of biological female athletes and the impact on their health that comes from losing scholarships, competing against others with unfair biological advantages, feeling as though their best is never good enough, and more.
One of the justifications for biological men competing in women’s sports is that they have to meet certain levels of testosterone in order to be eligible. One feminist even claimed that the idea of men outperforming women in athletic competition is a “myth is based on a hierarchy that places men at the top.” The focus on this issue should be to do whatever is fair for female athletes, but viewpoints like this warp the focus from women’s equality to fighting patriarchy.
According to Save Women’s Sports, men do in fact, have biological advantages over women, including, but not limited to, a higher VO2 max, increased muscle mass, increased strength, faster recovery, lack of female hormonal cycles, denser bones, longer limbs, with their androgenized body proving to have the greatest impact. Limiting biological men’s testosterone may lessen their performance capabilities, but that is far from their only advantage. Women and men have biologically different bodies, deeming it necessary for there to be separate divisions in sports to ensure equal play. There’s a reason that most competitive sports aren’t co-ed past pre-k.
If the NCAA believes that all athletes should be treated with dignity and respect, then they should uphold their values and keep men out of women’s sports, and not penalize states who do. They would also take actions that actually promote women’s equality, like factoring women into revenue-sharing, providing equal facilities and resources, and overall valuing the portion of the population that makes up nearly 50% of their athletes.
Women deserve to have equal opportunity to play sports with members of their respected sex without fear of being cheated by those who have unfair advantages over them and without fear of having records, scholarships, and awards that result from the accumulation of years worth of dedication, hard work, and sacrifice taken away from them.
Women’s sports need to be protected. Girls deserve better.
Tess Overholser
Teresa (Tess) Overholser is a highschool student southwest Ohio. She is president of her school's pro-life club and is an active member of Students for Life Action. Her other passions include running, playing clarinet, and being a gymnastics instructor.
The views expressed in this article are the opinion of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Lone Conservative staff.
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