tokyo 2020 olympics

Online trolls targeting transgender Olympian: Kiwi official

17 Comments
By Neil SANDS

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17 Comments

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Ganbare Hubbard!

-13 ( +7 / -20 )

If Hubbard was not competing in the heavyweight class of bodybuilding, perhaps this would be a different issue.

On the one hand, it'd be even worse if Hubbard were in the female boxing competition.

But on the other hand, it'd probably less of an issue if Hubbard was part of Rhythmic Gymnastics.

1 ( +10 / -9 )

As a man having a blood testosterone level about 10 times greater than a woman, Hubbard amassed muscle for 35 years to became a talented, but not world-calibre, male athlete. Hubbard then transitioned and is 43 years old today.

Testosterone levels generally peak during adolescence and early adulthood. As you age, your testosterone level gradually declines — typically about 1% a year after age 30 or 40. 

IOC policy is that a transgender woman may have five times the average total testosterone of a biological woman. However, the testosterone level of a 43-year-old man would register as slightly low if it were five times that of a woman.

So, in essence, Hubbard is competing with nearly the testosterone that would be naturally generated in the body of a 43-year-old man.

11 ( +17 / -6 )

This is just as bad as with the case of An San. She is somehow hated by online users because they considered her a feminist(which somehow is a bad thing in South Korea).

-4 ( +2 / -6 )

I make no comment on the Hubbard situation, or the 'trans women thing in general, but...

IOC medical director Richard Budgett played concerns that trans athletes could come to dominate women's sport, saying Hubbard was the only trans athlete to reach the Olympics since eligibility was first thrown open in 2003.

"If you're prepared to extrapolate a bit from the evidence there is (and) consider the fact that there's been no openly transgender women at the top level until now, then I think the threat to woman's sport is probably overstated," he said.

...is more than a touch spurious I would say.... because something hasn't happened before it won't henceforward? 「(°ヘ°)

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Trolling of anyone is wrong.

However, the major villain here is the IOC which all allwed this injustice, and the major victims here are the discriminated against women who are being forced to compete against a biological male.

May common sense prevail.

11 ( +15 / -4 )

A couple of points. 1st) How can a person who rarely gives interviews be harassed online? Why would someone who doesn’t trust professional journalists to communicate their message think it’s better to go directly to the people.

2nd). Hubbard is 43, in the last 5 olympics including this one, the average age of the competitors has been an average of about 26-27 years old with gold going to someone in this average age, so it is very interesting that someone twice the age of some competitors is able to compete in this sport at this level.

3rd) Richard Budgett has a valid point in regards to the top level and inclusion. But he is actively ignoring the mid and lower levels of competition, where these rules made at the top have the most effect. Hubbard did not make it very far in the male international circuit and it was only after he transitioned did the person start winning competitions. This is in stark contrast to the Japanese woman soccer player who has come out as trans. They have been competing at the international level in their assigned gender and have not take drugs to shift divisions.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

I am all for trans people and anyone else for that matter, doing whatever they like, dressing however they like and living howerer they like as long as it doen't harm anyone else. The problem with this case is that Hubbard's inclusion into the women's weightlifting at the Olympics IS harming others. Sorry ladies, but when it comes to physical strength, the elite men are just so much stronger. Hubbard is a biological man. Somewhere a female athlete is watching on TV not taking her rightful place in the event. Probably someone will miss getting a medal that would be theirs without this clown show. This situation really needs to be sorted because we will be heading for Olympic and other competitions with men's events and women who used to be men events. Is this what women's sport needs?

5 ( +9 / -4 )

Laurel is 185cm and 130kg. How many women in her division are anywhere near this size?

3 ( +6 / -3 )

Caitlyn Jenner ( Formerly Bruce Jenner 2 time Olympics gold medalist) and fully transitioned Transgender as stated that it is unfair for Transgender males to be competing against born females.

Now if anyone knows what it is and what the advantages are for a transgender male over born females and what it takes to compete as and Olympic athlete it would be Jenner.

So I will take this as the most reliable view on this.

7 ( +9 / -2 )

I object to the IOC decision. I don't think it is fair. I, a white middle age male, can identify as something else, but that does not make it so from a competitive perspective. But I do so while respecting this person's gender identity.

One can disagree without being hateful.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

Laurel is 185cm and 130kg. How many women in her division are anywhere near this size?

Hint, between zero and 0.

If Hubbard was competing as a man there would be 3 more levels higher.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

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