For a lot of the last two months, the one question I’ve been asked repeatedly is “why?”.
Why nominate for the draft, why put yourself out there, why engage with the media?
All valid questions, many of which I will answer in due course, but the question that really grates, the question I still don’t understand is: “If people have already gone out of their way to accept transgender people, why do you feel like you have a right to push even further and play sport?”
It has been asked more often than you’d think.
There is simply no point trying to hide the confusion I have had whenever it’s been asked. It always happens online, mind you, never face to face.
Quite simply, the only answer I can give is that I’m not pushing anything – I want to do what anyone else can and being transgender shouldn’t be a barrier to that.
Of course, for those transitioning from male to female, there needs to be a time period for hormone treatment to have an effect, but once the person has met the medical guidelines set out then there shouldn’t be an issue.
The problem is people are scared of what they don’t know. The difficulty at the moment is too many people are happy for the status quo to continue because they don’t want their views challenged.
In spite of the medical evidence that was put forward by many doctors in the media just after the draft, so many comments on social media started with: “I don’t care what the experts say…” That illustrates the point well enough.
That people are willing to discount the views of experts in a field because they don’t like it shows how much work still needs to be done.
Many experts thought the earth was flat once as well, and but for people being open to new ideas and information which challenge their own, we may still, or would have until the astronauts went up and saw what they left behind was round.
The truth is with no testosterone – and I have less in my system than those born female – the physical attributes people fear I possess simply aren’t there. And they won’t come back. No matter how much I train, no matter how much time I might spend in the gym, without testosterone there is simply no way of regaining the strength I once had.
It’s the same for every other physical attribute, but let’s address the elephant in the room – what people fear about me is the strength they think I have.
The truth is I’m still the size I am because the body doesn’t want to lose muscle, so once it twigged to the fact that’s what was happening, the process slowed significantly. Every year eight PE class learns that. Having said that, I was a good 25 kilos heavier than I am now before I started treatment.
The flipside of that is the effect a lack of testosterone has on a person’s central nervous system, haemoglobin levels and other things that people can’t see.
The central nervous system (CNS) plays an enormous role in strength and force production, and the effect the lack of testosterone has on the CNS means that I simply can’t do what people assume I can when they look at me.
A pretty good example of that is when two girls I was training with at a recent camp with the women’s national handball team turned around at the end of the first day and said: “Don’t take this the wrong way, but you really aren’t that strong are you?”
Quite simply, the external doesn’t match the internal. Am I still strong? Absolutely – I will never deny I am strong. My biggest asset has always been my strength and power and it always will be, but I don’t have strength at what people would call ‘male’ levels.
The simplest way to explain it is that it works on an equivalency basis – say, for example, I was roughly 20 per cent stronger than most males I played against, I will roughly be 20 per cent stronger than most females I play against.
But I was always slow, and as a result, most women are a lot faster than me. My endurance was never great, so as a result, most of my opponents have better endurance than I do.
Some will argue that I will be much more than 20 per cent stronger than some girls, those who are smaller, but the same applied to the smaller men I played against. Sport throws up all different shapes and sizes.
How the public judges transgender people is in itself an interesting thing. From my experience, the world is still by and large at the stage where people will accept you until they believe your gender might somehow impact on them.
I could go on for hours with examples, but sport is the obvious one and anyone reading this will have seen enough in recent weeks to know an explanation probably isn’t necessary.
Instead, the better examples are simply things people have said to me that would never be said to anyone else.
I’ve been told I shouldn’t be allowed to work with children – which I was for a time – because I’m transgender. Imagine someone saying that to someone based on their religion or sexual orientation – it’s ridiculous.
But for some, being transgender means that should be off limits. As many believe should sport. But being transgender does not equal being a paedophile or a danger to children, and in sport it certainly doesn’t equal a man playing with women.
The best – and I use that term rather uncomfortably – example of how people view my and other trans people’s place in society at the moment was a comment I saw on Facebook that said “I’m ok with people living however they want, but transgender people have to realise that once they choose to transition then they give up certain rights.”
To be quite frank, I’m here to say no we don’t. There is a lot wrong with that comment, not least of which the idea that being trans is a choice, but it’s just where things are at the moment.
This is where a lot of society’s ideas about trans people lie, and that’s okay, so long as people are open to learning what being trans is like, the effect hormones have on your body and people are willing to be open to ideas that challenge their own.
Kirsti
Guest
Let’s look at some of the medical consequences of castrations in a male it seems your fears are addressed with castration? See also: Neutering - Health and behavioral effects A subject of castration who is altered before the onset of puberty will retain a high voice, non-muscular build, and small genitals. He may well be taller than average, as the production of sex hormones in puberty—more specifically, estrogen via aromatization of testosterone—stops long bone growth. The person may not develop pubic hairand will have a small sex drive or none at all. Castrations after the onset of puberty will typically reduce the sex drive considerably or eliminate it altogether. Castrated people are automatically sterile, because the testes (for males) and ovaries (for females) produce sex cells needed for sexual reproduction. Once removed, the subject is infertile. The voice does not change. Some castrated people report mood changes, such as depression or a more serene outlook on life, although this might not be due to chemical changes but instead emotional changes due to the implications of the procedure. Body strength and muscle mass can decrease somewhat. Body hair may sometimes decrease. Castration prevents male pattern baldness if it is done before hair is lost. However, castration will not restore hair growth after hair has already been lost due to male pattern baldness.[152] Historically, many eunuchs who additionally underwent a penectomyreportedly suffered from urinary incontinence associated with the removal of the penis.[153] Without hormone replacement therapy(HRT), typical symptoms (similar to those experienced by menopausal women) include hot flashes, gradual bone-density loss resulting in osteopenia or osteoporosis, and potential weight gain or redistribution of body fat to the hips/chest. Replacement of testosterone in the form of gel, patches, or injections can largely reverse these effects, although breast enlargement has also been reported as a possible side effect of testosterone usage.[154] A study conducted at a mental institution in Kansas, where a large number of male inmates had been castrated, found that the eunuchs lived an average of 14 years longer than the uncastrated men.[155] A similar study of 81 historical eunuchs in Korea's royal court found a 14 to 19 year increase in lifespan compared to intact men of similar socioeconomic background; these eunuchs had a centenarian rate of over 3%.[156] Sent from my iPhone
Kirsti
Guest
Buddy Franklin could legally be playing in the AFLW in 18 months time or compete as a woman at the 2020 Olympic Games. Buddy would not have to have any surgery. Buddy would need to take medication to lower his testosterone levels to 10nmols at least one year prior to his first game or competition as a woman. Finally Buddy would have to sign an agreement to compete as a woman for a minimum of 5 years, although his birth certificate can remain unchanged as a male. That is the current policy adopted by the IOC and AFLW The first trans inclusion policy was developed way back in 2003 prior to the Athens Games, no trans athlete has won a medal under the old IOC policy. I fear the new trans inclusion policies adopted by both the IOC/AFL has tipped the balance of fairness in favour of trans athletes. I am all for the maximum participation of my community the trans community participating in sport but equally important the integrity of female sport must be maintained. I suggest the integrity of women’s sport has been compromised if Buddy Franklin could be playing in the AFLW in 18 months time.
Kirsti
Guest
There is no other story that incites more hate then a story about a transgender person participating in sport, with the exception of stories relating to transgender bathroom use or in President Trumps World his hate for transgender people serving in the military. Hannah Mouncey the XY Transitioning Female Australian Rules Football League player has faced months of online transphobia after having her application to be drafted in the elite women's competition the AFLW rejected. https://wwos.nine.com.au/2018/02/14/08/20/transgender-player-hannah-mouncey-trolled-on-social-media-after-afl-clearance Laurel Hubbard the first XY transitioned female to compete at the Commonwealth Games has also faced intense online transphobia and hate with this hate intensifying in the last few days. Protests have been expressed by both the Australian and Somoan Weightlifting Federations. https://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&source=newssearch&cd=1&ved=0ahUKEwjji8Kv96raAhXEXLwKHVSOC9wQuogBCA0oATAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fsport%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D4%26objectid%3D12028645&usg=AOvVaw0xMyavDgvYN4fkS6XDtTiC This type of transphobia in sport is not a new issue as a former male international athlete in two sports http://www.museumriverina.com.au/exhibitions/hall-of-fame/inductees/miller,-warren and also as a transitioned XY female AFL Player and Soccer Player I was vilified on the field, I had my house rocked, troll accounts were created on Facebook, I received online death threats and threats that my genitalia would be mutilated by these online trolls. https://www.todaytonightadelaide.com.au/stories/trans-footy-dispute There are still many questions to be answered in relation to the participation of transitioning and transitioned XY Females and XX Males, this is defiantly a work in progress. Not many people are aware that the IOC created the current transgender guidelines in half a day with no science or research. They did this as a hip response to lesson liability in Kristen Worley's human rights case in the divisional court in Canada. The current transgender and intersex IOC & WADA policies and guidelines are not based on any science. There were 90 people involved in the IOC Consensus Meeting in 2015 most people were sports officials with no qualifications to even be in this meeting and they defiantly are not medically qualified to write policies relating to the health and welfare of all female athletes globally. http://www.sportsintegrityinitiative.com/sports-longest-injustice-scheduled-demolition/ Laurel Hubbard is legally a female and she meets the IOC Consensus Meeting on Sex Reassignment and Hyperandrogenism November 2015 Transgender Guidelines. I have no doubt she has the legal right to compete at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games. https://stillmed.olympic.org/Documents/Commissions_PDFfiles/Medical_commission/2015-11_ioc_consensus_meeting_on_sex_reassignment_and_hyperandrogenism-en.pdf Laurel has stated that she originally qualified under the International Olympic Committees original transgender guidelines the October 2003 Stockholm consensus on sex reassignment in sports guidelines. https://stillmed.olympic.org/Documents/Reports/EN/en_report_905.pdf Mack Beggs, an 18 year old XX transitioning male wrestler ( a biologically born female transitioning to a male) from Euless Trinity High School near Dallas, defended his Texan State Title in Cypress near Houston winning the girls' class 6A 110- pound (49kg) division with an undefeated record. He beat Chelsea Sanchez, who he had defeated for the title in 2017, in the final match in February this year. Following Beggs' win the usual cheers reserved for an undefeated winner were not forth coming. Video posted online within minutes of Beggs winning showed a mix of cheers and boos from the crowd. http://www.news.com.au/sport/more-sports/transgender-wrestler-booed-in-texas-final/news-story/b20b171812235958cb68e362d002cd4a Why the boos for such an outstanding win one might ask. There is no doubt that his transitioning status from female to male and his approved Therapeutic Use Exception (TUE) for low doses of testosterone were the reasons why the same accolades for other winners didn't follow beggs' victory. When Beggs' win hit social media the usual transphobic hate was rife with a majority of posters vilifying Beggs for his transgender status with a large percentage identifying him as a biological male transitioning into a female which is the complete opposite to the truth, Mack Beggs was born a biological female. To Beggs' credit he has responded to the boos and online hate with class. Over the last two years this brave young man has matured into a role model for other transitioning and gender diverse people his story has become global he is inspiring other transitioning people to give sport a go, to be themselves and to never give up. Both Beggs and his family have repeatedly said he wants to wrestle with the other boys but Texan State Laws prevent him from doing so. Beggs is forced to fight the girls and to use the female bathrooms he has no choice in this matter. The birth certificate rule in Texas was approved in 2016 by the University Interscholastic League, the governing body for Texas high school sports. It was done in order to help schools determine competition, said Jamie Harrison, the UIL’s deputy director. The State laws in Texas are in stark contrast to most other transgender Sports policies. Chris Mossier of TransAthelete.com, told the newspaper because of the vote and its passing, "Texas now becomes one of the most restrictive states in the nation for transgender athletic participation. If Mack Beggs were to compete beyond the school system in Texas ie; the Olympics Games or Commonwealth Games he would have to compete in the men's division. Harrison Brown is another XX transitioning male who plays professional women's ice hockey. Harrison has not had any testosterone treatment as yet effectively meaning Harrison has socially transitioned, Harrison has said publicly that he wishes to finish his hockey career prior to him starting HRT. Harrison isn't being booed playing ice hockey maybe it's because hasn’t been given testosterone yet or maybe booing is a Texan thing their policies are backward. I hope the true Aussie Spirit in giving everyone ago will shine through when Laurel competes at the Commonwealth Games. As a XX transitioning male Beggs still has female androgen receptors ie (ovaries) with XX receptors being 6 to 8 times more sensitive then XY receptors (gonads). Beggs says he is only administered small amounts of exogenous testosterone. Even with small amounts of testosterone. Beggs still has functioning XX androgen receptors (ovaries) which are highly sensitive to testosterone so he is effectively super doping. His physical changes even in the last 12 months has shown Beggs to have masculinised significantly. The current IOC participation guidelines were amended in 2015 enabling XX transitioning male to compete unrestricted in the Males competition. We are already seeing XX transitioning males competing equally with and sometimes beating XY Males in particular in endurance events such as Chris Mossier from the USA who is a current member of the USA National Men's Duathon Team. I predict the next generation of XX transitioning super doped males especially when they start testosterone early in their teens will be super competitive in men's endurance events. https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/q47q0N_cxhiRQbGh8kZoz-NR-NI=/0x165:1080x1080/1200x800/filters:focal(578x380:750x552)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/54560635/mosier_longcourse.0.jpg Beggs and Mossier and their HRT regimes are a polar opposites to an XY transitioning female and her HRT regime ie Laurel Hubbard. Where as Beggs and other transitioning males are given extremely powerful performance enhancing drugs those transitioning from male to female are administered extremely powerful performance dehancing medications the same drugs that are used to chemically castrate sex offenders the the same drugs that treat prostate cancer sufferers. XY Transitioning females are lowering and eventually stopping permanently their production of testosterone eventually leaving an XY women in complete androgen deprivation. In a recent radio interview I explain how this treatment drastically changed my body from a 100kg male international athlete into a size 6, 58 kg transitioned XY female. https://omny.fm/shows/sportsday/transgender-athlete-kirsty-miller The current IOC guidelines are totally not sufficient to minimise the advantage in women's sport for all XY Transitioning Females. Since 2015 when the IOC amended their policy to include transitioning XY females that had not undergone gender surgery and halved the 2 year period of testosterone reduction to 12 months the balance of fairness was tipped in the favour of the XY Transitioning Female, I suggest. This updated in policy was not based on science it was a half a day decision made without research to lesson liability in Kristen Worleys HR Case in the Divisional Court in Toronto. My suggestions for future policy development for XY transitioning and Transitioned XY Females are. 1/At the community level of sport self identification as the only perquisite to participation. 2/At Regional, State, National and International, Sporting events only XY transitioning and transitioned females are able to compete with a minimum of 3 years to have elapsed since commencing HRT including testosterone reduction. Also a case by case consideration must always be used to ensure the advantage in women's competition has minimised enough to compete fairly in women’s competition. I further suggest that pre participation tests must be carried out such as base line V02 Oxygen Levels and muscle mass and bone density. 3/ In high impact sports like the AFL at any level. I suggest the same criteria apply as per the requirements for international competition. I am only one person who has lived and breathed these changes and I am not saying I am the expert on this subject,'if there is actually an expert in all of this.
ThatGuy
Guest
Stop enabling this behavior by defending a mental illness. There is no such thing as a transgender person. A person can no more "transition" between genders than a person could transition to a mayfly. Your gender is determined by your chromosomes. Males have no business being on the same field as females in a physical sport like AFL.
Jakarta Fan
Roar Rookie
The other alternative is to continue to play in the league of your birth gender where the person had already been playing rather than switching genders and then switching leagues.
Wal
Roar Guru
Congratulations for always being the smartest in the room. Somehow your towering intellect doesn't preclude you from laying insults upon others. You very easily could have corrected any information I had gathered with a clear and concise, evidence-driven discussion. Instead, you chose petty insults and self-congratulation. Well done sir you very obviously a better person than us all... you must be, you say so yourself.
Doc Disnick
Roar Guru
Wal You're woefully out of your depth. I didn't bother commenting on your numerous bouts of inaccurate rubbish you bestowed upon this forum. You can say what you like. I just don't care. However, you brought your inaccurate rubbish to me, remember? That was a mistake. "I will not apologise for any attempt I have made to educate myself on a subject that otherwise falls outside of my personal experiences." I never asked for an apology. For the record once again: I don't care. I would suggest you better educate yourself next time. Perhaps not relying on just one article for your information will better serve you. "and an education to those who argue the “born that way” that gender is not as black and white as some believe." You just couldn't help yourself with ignorance once again. Hannah was born a male. I bet it even says it on her birth certificate. Being male or female is black and white for a vast MAJORITY. Traditional medical definition for a female: an individual of the sex that produces ova or bears young. Current medical advancements do not allow somelike like Hannah to bear a child, however, one day, most likely this will become a reality. Of course the medical definition has now changed somewhat, but there are many (including doctors) who don't agree with these definitions in their entirety. Intersex people are very different to Hannah and of course represent a very small percentrage of the population who don't fit the conventional norm of 'male' and 'female'. This is for another dicussion. Hannah is not one of these. She was not born the way she is today. Your comment directed at me is just embarrassing. Hannah would not be a woman today without hundreds of years of medical reseach. People like Hannah will one day bear children (if they wish) through advancements if both biomedical engineering and biogenetics — nature was born to be tamed by man. People like me will find a solution. In no way was she born this way nor is it natural. Transgenders only exist today through humanities persuit of excellence. And just like in Hannah's transition to womanhood, it takes time — a period that often carries uncertainty, apprehension, controversy & ignorance coupled with wisdom beyond anyone here. Well... accept me of course. :)
Penster
Roar Guru
The local leagues would be a softer landing for anyone "coming out", mostly because people are generally not complete @sshole$, unlike a lot of high profile AFL commentators such as the good old boy dinosaurs on The Footy Show, Eddie McGuire, Billy Brainless etc. The publicity & social media would be distracting/vile for someone who just wants to play footy, to endure. I've always considered Ian Roberts a man amongst men for the way he conducts himself on and off field.
Harsh Truth Harry
Roar Rookie
Thanks Adelaide Docker. You can go back to ripping my comments apart in other articles now. Insert smiley face emoji.
Harsh Truth Harry
Roar Rookie
Jakarta I mentioned earlier you would need what a minimum of 6 teams preferably 8 for a competition with say 30 on each list so that's 180 - 240 Transgender players wanting to play AFL. Does society have that many for a league?
RandyM
Guest
and of course the AFL press will claim it as a first even though Ian Roberts came out over 20 years ago in the NRL (ARL back then)
Liam Salter
Roar Guru
I agree with all of that, Harry. It's a really good comment, actually. I don't think it will be long now until somebody comes out, as either gay or bi. We'll wait and see.
Wal
Roar Guru
Thank you for turning what was a generally positive discussion into an attack. I may have disagreed with others but never made any personal comments. Additionally, I will not apologise for any attempt I have made to educate myself on a subject that otherwise falls outside of my personal experiences. As I stated at the beginning of my reply to you the research is incomplete and far more is needed. However if the IOC (a very conservative organisation) has deemed there is no advantage with their research, then that speaks volumes. Testosterone levels in female athletes is in itself a very messy area with hyperandrogenic women having to go to court to fight for their right to compete. The torture Caster Semenya was put through should be a learning experience to us all, and an education to those who argue the "born that way" that gender is not as black and white as some believe.
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
Larry....surely logic could also (as discussed earlier in the article) claim the same point you make with an Aaron Sandilands ploughing full force into a Jarryd Blair or Caleb Daniel with a 50KG weight advantage?
RandyM
Guest
why would someone want to change their physical sex then, if gender is such a fluid thing? doesn't make sense
Larry Logical
Guest
So if Barry Hall or Tony Lockett decided they want to be women it would be OK to play against women? Get real, there is no argument that can support disproportionately sized transgenders playing against women if people don't want to see a death on the footy field, it is as simple as that.
Jakarta Fan
Roar Rookie
The solution is simple - have 3 competitions: 1 for men; 1 for women and 1 for trans.
Dalgety Carrington
Roar Guru
That's "Mr Science" to you (a thorough scientific approach would acknowledge that there are different aspects of gender, both physiological and neurological and that what we are finding out about the neurological structures is increasing rapidly and demonstrating the true extent of our previous & current ignorance).
Dalgety Carrington
Roar Guru
"Science facts" ay? So tell me, what are said "science facts" as they pertain to "natural gender"?
G
Guest
Spruce, science says Hannah was born a male, fiction says he is a lady