Fairness in Women's Sports – Page 14

NY County’s Decision to Protect Women’s Draws Support From Caitlyn Jenner, Opposition From ACLU

Mar 25, 2024Jerry CoxLGBTFairness in Women's Sports, LGBT, Transgender

A Nassau County, New York, decision to protect fairness in women’s sports is sparking controversy.

On February 22, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman signed an executive order preventing male athletes from competing in female athletics at county recreational facilities.

The decision helps ensure biological males don’t compete in women’s or girls’ athletics at county-run ballparks and sports facilities.

In response, the ACLU of New York filed a lawsuit against the county, calling the executive order “discriminatory.”

However, last week former decathlon Olympic gold medalist Caitlyn Jenner spoke in favor of the county order, saying that letting men compete against women would “ruin women’s sports” for years to come. Jenner is a biological male who identifies as female and legally changed his name from Bruce to Caitlyn in 2015.

Across the board, policymakers and sporting leagues have taken steps to protect fairness in women’s sports.

Earlier this month the professional golf league NXXT Golf announced that only biological females would be eligible to participate in the NXXT Women’s Pro Tour.

Last fall the North American Grappling Association clarified its competition policy by saying biological males must compete against other men, regardless of their gender identity.

These changes come as female cyclists, swimmers, powerlifters, sprinters, and others have seen their sports radically changed by biological males who identify and compete as women.

Letting men compete in women’s sports reverses 50 years of advancements for women and effectively erases women’s and girls’ athletics.

It hampers girls’ abilities to compete for athletic scholarships, and it hurts their professional opportunities as adults. In some sports, it can even be dangerous.

That is part of the reason states like Arkansas, Texas, West Virginia, and Ohio have enacted laws that uphold fairness in women’s sports.

In 2021 Arkansas passed Act 461 by Sen. Missy Irvin (R — Mountain View) and Rep. Sonia Barker (R — Smackover) preventing male student athletes from competing against girls in women’s athletics at school. This good law protects fairness in women’s sports in Arkansas.

It’s worth point out that public opinion is shifting on this issue, with more Americans agreeing that athletes ought to compete according to their biological sex rather than their gender identity. Laws and policies preserving fairness in women’s sports reflect public opinion on this issue.

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

Doing Better for Our Daughters: Guest Column

Mar 13, 2024John StonestreetTransgenderFairness in Women's Sports, Transgender

In a recent article published in Newsweek, Kristen Waggoner described how the federal government is working to remove protections for women’s sports, ironically in the name of equity and justice. When Title IX rules that protect female representation in sports are reinterpreted to privilege males who claim a transgender identity, the original purpose of Title IX is turned on its head.

Twenty years ago, or maybe just 10, if anyone were to predict that women and girls would be denied privacy, scholarship money, and the fair chance to compete in sports, the culprits would have been assumed to be the advocates of a Handmaid’s Tale-style, Right-wing patriarchy. But this move is being championed by those on the Left because they are committed to a worldview in which identity is constructed and the freedom to self-express is the highest good.

But the freedom from reality is not freedom at all, certainly not the freedom promised to women and girls.

Women’s Professional Golf League Changes Policy, Clarifies Golfers Must Be Female

Mar 11, 2024Jerry CoxTransgenderFairness in Women's Sports, Transgender

On Friday the professional golf league NXXT Golf announced policy changes saying that only biological females would be eligible to participate in the NXXT Women’s Pro Tour.

The announcement comes a few weeks after golfer Hailey Davidson — a biological male who identifies as female — took first place in the NXXT Women’s Classic in Florida. The tournament is a qualifier for the LPGA Tour.

In a statement on its website, NXXT Golf said on Friday,

NXXT Golf, with a steadfast dedication to competitive fairness and enhancing opportunities for female athletes, today announces a significant update to the eligibility policy for the NXXT Women’s Pro Tour.

Effective immediately, competitors must be a biological female at birth to participate. This decision underscores the organization’s commitment to maintaining the integrity of women’s professional golf and ensuring fair competition.

NXXT GOLF CEO Stuart McKinnon expressed, “As we navigate through the evolving landscape of sports, it is crucial to uphold the competitive integrity that is the cornerstone of women’s sports. Our revised policy is a reflection of our unwavering commitment to celebrating and protecting the achievements and opportunities of female athletes. Protected categories are a fundamental aspect of sports at all levels, and it is essential for our Tour to uphold these categories for biological females, ensuring a level playing field.”

This policy update is the result of comprehensive research, thoughtful deliberation, and extensive consultations with a broad spectrum of stakeholders in the sports community. McKinnon added, “NXXT Golf is honored to lead in promoting and advancing women’s golf, providing a platform that not only highlights the exceptional talent of women golfers worldwide but also ensures the competition remains equitable for all of our players.”

NXXT Golf is the latest sports league to clarify its eligibility policies to preserve women’s athletics.

In recent female cyclists, swimmers, powerlifters, sprinters, and others have seen their sports radically changed by biological males who identify and compete as women.

Letting males compete in women’s sports reverses 50 years of advancements for women and effectively erases women’s and girls’ athletics.

It hampers girls’ abilities to compete for athletic scholarships, and it hurts their professional opportunities as adults. In some sports, it can even be dangerous.

That is part of the reason states like Arkansas, Texas, West Virginia, and Ohio have enacted laws that uphold fairness in women’s sports.

In 2021 Arkansas also passed Act 461 of 2021 by Sen. Missy Irvin (R — Mountain View) and Rep. Sonia Barker (R — Smackover) protecting fairness in women’s sports at school by preventing male student athletes from competing against girls in women’s athletics. This is a good law, and it is in full effect in Arkansas.

Interestingly, public opinion is shifting on this issue, with more Americans saying it’s morally wrong to change genders and that athletes ought to compete according to their biological sex rather than their gender identity.

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.