Katie Roche's Blog

Don’t Blame Feminism for Transgender Olympians

The Tokyo Olympics started this week. It’s been an odd Olympics, given the delay and ongoing COVID restrictions. But what else is notable is that at least one competitor in the women’s category is biologically male. Laurel Hubbard, a weightlifter from New Zealand, is an openly transgender woman.

Prior to her transition, Hubbard had a career as a male weightlifter. Hubbard competed in some national competitions. Although she never reached the Olympics or any other international events. Hubbard retired from weightlifting in 2001. In 2012, Hubbard transitioned to female and resumed her weightlifting career. She began participating in international events in 2017 (she was aged 39 and hadn’t competed for 16 years). Hubbard has won either gold or silver in almost all the competitions she took part in. Even though she’s much older than the rest of the participants. It’s not hard to see that Hubbard has a considerable advantage over the other competitors.

There is also a male-born Paralympian competing as a woman. Valentina Petrillo, a visually impaired Italian runner, is 47 years old. Like Hubbard, Petrillo is much older than many of her fellow Paralympians. Petrillo transitioned to female in 2017. Petrillo also had moderate success before her transition, competing in national competitions. Since she began competing as a woman, she too has outstripped her natal female competitors in spite of her age. This includes setting a new world record for her disability category.

Most people understand allowing transgender women to compete is unfair. People who were born biologically male are much stronger and faster than women. Even many transgender people acknowledge there’s an unfair advantage. Former Olympian Caitlyn Jenner for one, has opposed including transgender women in women’s sports. But what else is frustrating is that feminists are being blamed. Admittedly, liberal feminism has been a big driver of the transgender movement. And many liberal feminists claim cross-sex hormones eliminate male biological athletic advantages. Some even claim sex differences in sporting abilities are a myth. But others have the common sense to remember that men are stronger than women, even if they take cross-sex hormones. Indeed, feminists are campaigning to keep woman’s sports only for biological women. Look at Save Women's Sports or Fair Play for Women or 4th Wave Now. These are all examples of organizations campaigning to protect women's sports.

Also, feminists deal with a lot of issues. Including many things stemming from transgenderism. Woke companies trumpeting their use of preferred pronouns, while paying their women employees much less than men. Schools teaching children that boys can have periods and get pregnant. The loss of women’s toilets, refuges, and other spaces. It’s no surprise that sports get overlooked. Although sports aren’t the biggest issue affected by transgenderism, they are the most vivid example of how the trans movement requires us to ignore reality.

But the influence of liberal feminism isn’t the only problem. The bigger underlying issue is the perception that women’s sports don’t matter. The IOC’s science expert, Richard Budgett, has acknowledged that Hubbard has a biological advantage, but he argues that transgender inclusivity matters too. But as is often the case, women bear the brunt of this “inclusivity”. Only biological males can gain an advantage by transitioning. No openly female-to-male transgender people have competed in the Olympics. So, it’s only women who are pushed out. There’s a subtext of “it’s only women’s sports”. As if ensuring fair competition in women’s sports isn’t as important as in men’s sports. Indeed, if this affected men’s sports, I doubt the IOC would be so accepting.

Women’s sports have always been considered inferior to men’s sports. Throughout the Olympics movement, women have been denied the chance to compete. Many women’s sports weren’t added until recently. Women’s weightlifting wasn’t added until 2000. This was the same year that women’s pentathlon, taekwondo, triathlon and water polo were first included. Other events which have only been added in the 21st century include wrestling, boxing and rugby. Women’s sprint and slalom canoeing was included for the first time this year. It wasn’t until 2012 when every country competing in the Olympics included at least one woman in their delegation. It’s not just the Olympics where women athletes face obstacles. Women’s professional sports pay less too. For example, the prize for winning the FiFA women’s world cup in association football is $15 million. But the men’s prize is $567 million. As a result, women are underrepresented in sports. This problem feeds right down to amateur sports and individual exercise participation. According to Sports England, women are less active than men. Women aren’t privileged in sports. Yet we are the ones being asked to make sacrifices.

If you’re disappointed about Laurel Hubbard or any other transgender athletes competing in the Olympics or Paralympics as women, maybe stop blaming feminists for not fighting hard enough and get involved with campaigning yourself. We did our best to stop it, but it didn’t work. It’s too late this year. But perhaps by the Paris Olympics in 2024, the IOC will see sense.

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