SCOTUS Catch-all |

[nycfan]

I wish this issue didn’t exist, such a stupid distraction from all the other shit out there.

That said I’m struggling why anyone would argue that it’s fair for a biological boy who is post-puberty, regardless of stage of transition, to compete against biological girls in sports. Especially in weight events in track and field? But really any sport where speed/strength/muscle development is implicated. Which is pretty much all of them.

I’m pro-trans rights but this seems self-evidently an unfair advantage and not remotely worth the fight. What am I missing?

FTR, The girl in the WVa case before SCOTUS had puberty blocking treatment pre-puberty and then estrogen and other hormone treatments. She never went through male puberty. She was a poor x-country runner who moved to shotput in track and field and took years to get pretty good at that.

I wonder if a compromise to get people to have time to see any impact but also permit trans kids to be full members of their communities could be to only permit trans students to compete in non-contact, non-ball sports (so limit to cross country, track, swimming and similar), and then whatever level they finish is a tie with the next down athlete. Maybe two people win the shotput as a result, maybe they tie for fifth.

The issue (well, one of many issues) is someone might claim they didn’t make their HS track team b/c a trans student was given a spot. So the battle would continue.

It is terrible to me that people are so cruel about this and blowing up something impacting maybe only a few trans kids in a lot of states, but clearly people need time to learn that there is no harm including a handful of trans kids in the community of sports. People have been convinced they are somehow protecting their girls by isolating and shaming a tiny handful of trans girls who just want to play sports with other girls. It’s so depressing.

 

[hedge]

"The issue (well, one of many issues) is someone might claim they didn’t make their HS track team b/c a trans student was given a spot."

I doubt anybody is getting cut from the track team at plenty of rural schools around the country. They need bodies. I mean, look at this case, she started out as a runner, was too slow and the coach said "no worries, we've got nobody doing shot put and discus." I suspect that's the case in lots of places...

 

[nycfan]

The high court’s 7-2 ruling dealt with the narrow question of whether Republican U.S. Rep. Michael Bost and two candidates to be presidential electors had standing to sue. It did not involve the legality of the state’s law permitting counting of ballots that arrive up to 14 days after the polls close as long as they are postmarked by Election Day.

 

[superrific]

The high court’s 7-2 ruling dealt with the narrow question of whether Republican U.S. Rep. Michael Bost and two candidates to be presidential electors had standing to sue. It did not involve the legality of the state’s law permitting counting of ballots that arrive up to 14 days after the polls close as long as they are postmarked by Election Day.

This outcome is, in my opinion, correct and the Kagan/Barrett concurrence gets it right. I know, it surprised me too.

 

[nycfan]

 

[nycfan]

 

[nycfan]

 

[gtyellowjacket]

"The issue (well, one of many issues) is someone might claim they didn’t make their HS track team b/c a trans student was given a spot."

I doubt anybody is getting cut from the track team at plenty of rural schools around the country. They need bodies. I mean, look at this case, she started out as a runner, was too slow and the coach said "no worries, we've got nobody doing shot put and discus." I suspect that's the case in lots of places...

At my high school and at the school my kids attend, track is one of the no cut sports.

But that same argument certainly could be made for something like the volleyball or the basketball team.

 

[gtyellowjacket]

FTR, The girl in the WVa case before SCOTUS had puberty blocking treatment pre-puberty and then estrogen and other hormone treatments. She never went through male puberty. She was a poor x-country runner who moved to shotput in track and field and took years to get pretty good at that.

I wonder if a compromise to get people to have time to see any impact but also permit trans kids to be full members of their communities could be to only permit trans students to compete in non-contact, non-ball sports (so limit to cross country, track, swimming and similar), and then whatever level they finish is a tie with the next down athlete. Maybe two people win the shotput as a result, maybe they tie for fifth.

The issue (well, one of many issues) is someone might claim they didn’t make their HS track team b/c a trans student was given a spot. So the battle would continue.

It is terrible to me that people are so cruel about this and blowing up something impacting maybe only a few trans kids in a lot of states, but clearly people need time to learn that there is no harm including a handful of trans kids in the community of sports. People have been convinced they are somehow protecting their girls by isolating and shaming a tiny handful of trans girls who just want to play sports with other girls. It’s so depressing.

This is very similar to the compromise that I would propose and for similar reasons. No contact sports and no sports like volleyball, where an object might hurt some girl, and no championships or records.

I definitely see the safety and fairness issues that must be addressed reasonably, but the benefits of being part of a team for a trans kid, who is going through more than most, far, far outweigh any downsides. Those kids need support.