[fullmetal]

If the argument is that trans women in HS have "the body of a biological male," then I expect I will be hearing more support for earlier childhood transitions before puberty sets in.

No?

Guess this isn't about fairness then. 

ColoradoTree and pefloresjr, thank you both, as always, for your voices of reason.  cardcrimson, the multi-step approach described by your daughter seems to be the preeminently favored approach.  

Except for a lucky, genetically gifted few who also train hard, losing is a natural part of athletics participation.  As OutsiderFan said, there will always be someone bigger and stronger.  And as BostonCard said, there are so many ways in which athletes can have unearned privilege: rich parents paying for trainers, extra practice time, family connections, professional mentoring, etc.  Sometimes these factors matter, and sometimes they don't.  And how many times have we seen a taller, bigger athlete lose out to someone smaller but who works twice as hard?  

Reducing athletic performance to biological determinism completely ignores core values of athletics: resilience, perseverance, and discipline.  Athletics makes us better people because it instills in us those important values that we carry on to everyday life.  We are not better people just because we win at athletics.

[fullmetal]

If the argument is that trans women in HS have "the body of a biological male," then I expect I will be hearing more support for earlier childhood transitions before puberty sets in.

No?

Guess this isn't about fairness then. 

ColoradoTree and pefloresjr, thank you both, as always, for your voices of reason.  cardcrimson, the multi-step approach described by your daughter seems to be the preeminently favored approach.  

Except for a lucky, genetically gifted few who also train hard, losing is a natural part of athletics participation.  As OutsiderFan said, there will always be someone bigger and stronger.  And as BostonCard said, there are so many ways in which athletes can have unearned privilege: rich parents paying for trainers, extra practice time, family connections, professional mentoring, etc.  Sometimes these factors matter, and sometimes they don't.  And how many times have we seen a taller, bigger athlete lose out to someone smaller but who works twice as hard?  

Reducing athletic performance to biological determinism completely ignores core values of athletics: resilience, perseverance, and discipline.  Athletics makes us better people because it instills in us those important values that we carry on to everyday life.  We are not better people just because we win at athletics.