If you don't know about the sport of Downhill Mountian Biking, check this out for a rather intense sampling. It's slightly more insane, dangerous, fast, and difficult than coasting on a favorable incline.
Now, here's the rub. Michelle Dumaresq just won her third straight Canadian national title - Canada is to downhill what Colorado is to skiing, so she's kind of a big deal. Unfortuantely, as far as DNA and the first two decades of her life are concerned, she's also a dude.
Poor Danika Schroeter, a tasty bit of cycling crumpet if I may say so, places 2nd by one second. She feels slighted. She ascends the podium proclaiming herself the true female champion. Hilarity does not ensue, and she's suspended for three months.
I think this is ridiculous on several fronts. The main consideration for qualifying for gender-separated activites should no longer be the presence of a penis now that a penis can be modified by modern science. I mean, look at that picture - Dumaresq is a beast of a woman because she's a he. Post-ops should not be allowed to compete as women: discuss. Schroeter (I love you Danika) not only shouldn't be suspended, she should have had the gold: discuss.
Say what you want about equality/sexual rights/whatever (seriously, I encourage it, especially from the TT ladies)...men that turn their dick inside out are still men. If I had the surgery, for example, I'd be a 5' 11", 200-lb chick. I'd be a monstrous woman (and ugly as sin too), and I can only imagine the dominant small forward play I would dispense in pickup women's hoops games. I'd be a douchbag for doing it, though, and so is every other trans/post-op/whatverthehell that tries it: discuss.
Now that you've (hopefully) picked a side, agreeing with me or thinking I'm an asshole, consider that Dumaresq was 21.5 seconds slower (scroll down) than even the 10th place male finisher. In a sub-four-minute race that's a substantial margin.
Oh, and, Rick: stop imagining me with a vagina.
Posted by Chris at August 17, 2006 05:33 PMThe same thing happened to the LPGA. Some dude was actually on the PGA, had an op, then tried for the LPGA. The LPGA said "on no you di'nt" and wouldn't allow her/him to play, and the PGA tour said "nuh uh you ain'ts not kinda mans" and revoked the card. I'd provide more substance, but I don't feel like searching for it. Anyhoo..Chris, I agree with you. Now shut that cunts mouth or I'll come over there and fuck-start her head.
Posted by: Nate at August 18, 2006 01:08 PMI'm surprised they even let her compete as a woman. She can be called a woman all she wants, that's fine. That's her gender, which is a social concept. But biologically she's still a male -- this his her sex, and is set by one's DNA. She can remove all the exterior body parts she wants, but she's still going to be of the male sex. I can chop the legs off of a salamander and call it a snake if I want, but there's no denying that it's still, biologically, a now-very-pissed-off salamander.
One would think that a sport - whose by very essence is a physical competition - would separate people by their sex, not gender.
/should not be talking about sports. At least I worked in some science.
Posted by: Rick at August 18, 2006 03:17 PMI've been reading more about this argument. The operation was several years ago, and those that defend the not-a-lady are claiming that enough time has passed that hormone therapy has erased any biological muscular edge. I can't believe that, and even if it's true, it still doesn't make it okay.
Rather than "presence of a penis," the criteria for participation in female sports should be "born with a uterus." You could even make it "born with a fully functional utuerus" so I wouldn't have to sit through WNBA highlights during SportsCenter. Yes that last part is a joke.
Posted by: Chris at August 18, 2006 04:05 PM