Frederick R Prete on The Glinner Update

[Frederick R Prete]

I'm both amazed and appalled by the continual unfair assault on women's sports. The saddest part of it all is that we know full well how to balance inclusion and fairness. A number of people have offered common sense solutions to this problem. For instance, "Steroids, ‘Gender,’ and Fair Play" https://everythingisbiology.substack.com/p/steroids-gender-and-fair-play . We can include and recognize all athletes within competitions without forcing them to compete directly against one another. For instance, in weightlifting (in which I competed for many years), all athletes competed together but trophies were awarded within subdivisions: men, women, novice, open, senior divisions, etc. Likewise, there is no reason that a track or swim meet cannot award trophies within a female division (natal females), and an open division (any athlete who identifies as a woman). That would allow natal women the *choice* of whom they wish to compete against. Forcing women into blatantly unfair competitions has nothing to do with athletics. It's simply pandering to narcissism and enabling bad (and misogynistic) behavior. "Inclusion" does not mean harming other people. Unfortunately, I don't see this changing until the athletes, themselves, simply refuse to participate in the events. (I can imagine protests in which natal women athletes simply remain at the starting line after the starting pistol is fired, letting the trans athletes run alone.)

[Helen McG]

I find the term ‘natal’ women offensive. At the root of all of this is the lie that a man can call himself a woman. NO NO NO.

[Frederick R Prete]

Thank you for that comment. I understand your point of view, and I think it's both reasonable and justifiable. I apologize if I offended you by using the term. Sincerely, Frederick