Female Boxer Withdraws When She Learns Her Opponent is Trans
Transgender sports controversy
A female boxer, Dr. Katia Bissonnette, withdrew from a boxing match in Canada last month when she was given just one hour’s notice that her opponent was a transgender woman.
Katia withdrew from the competition upon receipt of the news, amid concerns for her own safety and her mental health. She cited ‘physical and psychological risks’ as her reason for withdrawal. She was not prepared to fight someone who was not born female.
Her opponent, Mya Walmsley, won the competition by default as they could not find someone else to fight at short notice.
According to the Daily Mail, Katia was concerned that her opponent would be capable of punching much harder than her. They reported: “Studies on the strength of transgender women suggest that hormone blockers may reduce this biological advantage slightly.”
However, Eva Carlsen said this is: “Transphobic propaganda. Hormone blockers prevent all secondary male sexual characteristics - negating the strength advantage granted men by male puberty.”
Katia argued that there should only be two categories in the sport: biological male and female.
Fallon Fox, a transgender MMA fighter, fractured a female competitor’s orbital bone during a fight. However, injuries do happen in female boxing — it’s a risk of the sport.
In this case, Katia felt the risk was too great and didn’t want to risk damaging her own health by trying to fight against a trans opponent. Nor did she want the annoying psychological burden of being beaten in a competition that she felt was unfair.
Obviously, injuries do happen in boxing, but they are more likely to happen to one fighter if their opponent is stronger and more powerful than them. Katia didn’t believe this was a fair match.
The International Olympic Committee has said that transwomen are allowed to enter female categories if their testosterone levels are lowered to a certain point, but Walmsley’s levels were not tested, and she said she felt this test was invasive and arbitrary.
This follows a series of controversial sporting events where trans females have competed against biological females in sport and won.
I wonder if there should be a separate transgender games or something, so people can compete in categories alongside other people of the same ilk.
Source: Daily Mail
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