[spike5882]

The thing that is being neglected is that every collegiate cis female swimmer who is upset about this was also born with significant biological advantages to even be able to swim at this level.  There are less athletic females who work and practice as hard if not harder than others who are more successful. Should something be done to level that playing field so that it comes down to who works the hardest.  All athletics are heavily influenced already by biological advantages and for those calling for a level playing field, how do you level a playing field when there are advantages from day one in all sports?

I do understand both sides of the conversation but until the above fact is recognized, please don’t be calling for a level playing field until you’re ready to somehow make it level for everybody. (Which isn’t going to happen….so maybe get over it? I’m an avid sports lover, but at the core, it is sports not life).

Furthermore, that’s not even taking into account level the playing field based on socioeconomics.  If we want to talk about a level playing field, that can’t be ignored either.

Yes, we will never have a perfectly level playing field. Some are born with natural advantages. But the solution isn’t to drastically exacerbate those advantages even further.

Socioeconomics?  Depends on the sport. Harry Edwards “channeling” theory.

And yes, biological factors matter.  But  there is a distinct difference between other factors and the transgender factor.  Put another way, get rid of the distinctions.  Allow boys in HS to play on girls teams and girls on boys teams. Just have two non gender specific teams.  What do you think that would do to girls/women in sports?  If you think girls could compete you are dreaming. Biology matters.

All a “level playing field” should mean is an equal opportunity to compete.  Women have fought  for years to get there.  Title IX helped push it closer. 

There is a reason Navratilova spoke out on this. For which she was excoriated. But that is todays world.  Shout down those that don’t toe the “line”. Shut them up.  It seemingly works.  But not really. Can’t debate.  Dangerous….

Socioeconomics doesn’t depend on the sport. It’s relevant in every sport.  Take two similarly athletic males of the same race. One family can afford to send their kid to a private trainer and the best camps every summer. That kid will excel at a higher rate than the other. Perhaps the other will catch up later in life, but it’s relevant in every single sport.

I also agree with your definition of a level playing field … an equal opportunity for all to compete. And that’s be great in all sports but it already does t exist for a variety of reason. None of get to decide our definition of a level playing field because there’s not a right answer … primarily because it’s not equal from the start. So, everybody is creating their definition of what’s a level playing field and that’s based on our own personal experiences in life, in sports, and with our children or family in sports. We all have tinted glasses on. I get that. But people do need to take off their glasses and realize their definition is not the only one, not is it the only right one.

Brooke Ford nailed it on the head by saying she would love to compete against Lia. Whether Brooke wins or loses, she knows she swam to her highest potential. And she knows her life is going to continue for many many years, and what she does after swimming is going to be much more important than whether she won or lost a swim meet. And there is nothing in that which takes away from the likely blood, sweat, and tears she has put into it swimming for the majority of her life thus far.

[spike5882]

The thing that is being neglected is that every collegiate cis female swimmer who is upset about this was also born with significant biological advantages to even be able to swim at this level.  There are less athletic females who work and practice as hard if not harder than others who are more successful. Should something be done to level that playing field so that it comes down to who works the hardest.  All athletics are heavily influenced already by biological advantages and for those calling for a level playing field, how do you level a playing field when there are advantages from day one in all sports?

I do understand both sides of the conversation but until the above fact is recognized, please don’t be calling for a level playing field until you’re ready to somehow make it level for everybody. (Which isn’t going to happen….so maybe get over it? I’m an avid sports lover, but at the core, it is sports not life).

Furthermore, that’s not even taking into account level the playing field based on socioeconomics.  If we want to talk about a level playing field, that can’t be ignored either.

Yes, we will never have a perfectly level playing field. Some are born with natural advantages. But the solution isn’t to drastically exacerbate those advantages even further.

Socioeconomics?  Depends on the sport. Harry Edwards “channeling” theory.

And yes, biological factors matter.  But  there is a distinct difference between other factors and the transgender factor.  Put another way, get rid of the distinctions.  Allow boys in HS to play on girls teams and girls on boys teams. Just have two non gender specific teams.  What do you think that would do to girls/women in sports?  If you think girls could compete you are dreaming. Biology matters.

All a “level playing field” should mean is an equal opportunity to compete.  Women have fought  for years to get there.  Title IX helped push it closer. 

There is a reason Navratilova spoke out on this. For which she was excoriated. But that is todays world.  Shout down those that don’t toe the “line”. Shut them up.  It seemingly works.  But not really. Can’t debate.  Dangerous….

Socioeconomics doesn’t depend on the sport. It’s relevant in every sport.  Take two similarly athletic males of the same race. One family can afford to send their kid to a private trainer and the best camps every summer. That kid will excel at a higher rate than the other. Perhaps the other will catch up later in life, but it’s relevant in every single sport.

I also agree with your definition of a level playing field … an equal opportunity for all to compete. And that’s be great in all sports but it already does t exist for a variety of reason. None of get to decide our definition of a level playing field because there’s not a right answer … primarily because it’s not equal from the start. So, everybody is creating their definition of what’s a level playing field and that’s based on our own personal experiences in life, in sports, and with our children or family in sports. We all have tinted glasses on. I get that. But people do need to take off their glasses and realize their definition is not the only one, not is it the only right one.

Brooke Ford nailed it on the head by saying she would love to compete against Lia. Whether Brooke wins or loses, she knows she swam to her highest potential. And she knows her life is going to continue for many many years, and what she does after swimming is going to be much more important than whether she won or lost a swim meet. And there is nothing in that which takes away from the likely blood, sweat, and tears she has put into it swimming for the majority of her life thus far.