JK Rowling reveals she is survivor of domestic abuse and sexual assault

[Eddie Teach]

sounds like orwellian newthink.

What the fuck does this mean? I mean I have read a bit of Orwell but I guess I missed this in Animal Farm.

It's from 1984.

[merithyn]

Why do you think the supposed advantages of trans women would be unfair? If trans women are women, how is any advantage of theirs different from the advantage a cis woman with awesome genes has over other cis women?

People who go through puberty with an excess of testosterone build bigger muscles and stronger bones. Those don't entirely go away even with testosterone inhibiting drugs. They diminish, however, which is what makes this so tricky. A transwoman who transitions by taking testasterone-inhibiting drugs before puberty is, physically, no different than a cis-woman.

At the same time, there are any number of women who are cis-women with an overabundance of testosterone themselves. They are simply born that way. Because of that, they, like transwomen who transition post-puberty, are going to build bigger muscles and stronger bones. We do not test these women, and we don't exclude these women.

As such, it seems rather disingenuous to exclude transwomen. The primary issue would be transwomen choosing not to take their testosterone inhibiting drugs while training. That is akin to a cis-woman taking testosterone, which is banned (as I understand it). I know several transwomen and the idea of going off their meds is horrific to them, so I can't see this being a big issue, but since there's concern, testing for this seems appropriate, just as testing for extreme levels of testosterone in cis-women is done.

But this isn't cut-and-dried. There are so many nuances to all of this. That's why I say that I'm really glad that I don't have to make this decision. Transwomen are women (and I really wish we'd stop calling them trans and instead just call them women or men), but because of the public debate and vast sums of money on the line sometimes, I think there has to be some form of making sure that it remains a relatively even playing field. How that's done ... yeah... really glad I don't have to make those decisions.

[Razgovory]

Let's make this conversation more interesting.  What it is that most people are thinking but not saying when discussing this topic, leading to the inability to hold a coherent conversation as we're witnessing here?  My guess is that people are desperate to avoid any insinuation that being born transexual is a birth defect of some kind.

Damn it, Dguller.  Try harder!  This conversation still isn't interesting.

[Razgovory]

Is abuse of transsexual protections a big problem in sports right now?

[merithyn]

Is abuse of transsexual protections a big problem in sports right now?

I know of one transwoman who wishes to compete at a high level of sports, and there are cis-women in that sport who object.

I have no idea if there are others.

[Razgovory]

I was thinking more of abuses.  Someone identifying as tran just so they would be better in sports.

[merithyn]

I was thinking more of abuses.  Someone identifying as tran just so they would be better in sports.

I've not heard of that happening, which doesn't mean much as I'm not specifically following this type of thing.

[Josquius]

I was thinking more of abuses.  Someone identifying as tran just so they would be better in sports.

I don't think there has been a practical example of that yet. Though certainly you've had conspiracies about some women actually being men.
And there was a futurama episode.

I can however recall examples of able bodied people posing as disabled to get into the paralympics. The Spanish basketball team one is the famous one.

I think a key point with this is that it's only very recently that countries have really started to recognise transsexuals to a decent extent. Its one of those things where a completely positive change, making things easier for trans people, can open up new avenues for people to be dicks.

[Valmy]

sounds like orwellian newthink.

What the fuck does this mean? I mean I have read a bit of Orwell but I guess I missed this in Animal Farm.

It's from 1984.

Ok how does it sound like that thing? And what does that mean that it sounds like that thing?

[Valmy]

Is abuse of transsexual protections a big problem in sports right now?

Virtually every loophole in sports has been ruthlessly exploited to gain a competitive advantage. So even if it is not a big deal now we can anticipate it will be.

I recall a few controversies in this area in the past that resulted in this exact discussion on this board so I think it does happen? But I don't know.

[Sheilbh]

Is abuse of transsexual protections a big problem in sports right now?

I don't think so. So that was sort of the basis of the complaints against Caster Semenya, that she had an unfair advantage. As I say I think that was handled dreadfully from the complaint to the investigation and everything else.

The issue, I think, is bigger in a pretty heavy contact sport like rugby where as well as issues of inclusion and fiarness, you have safety concerns (that wouldn't apply, for example, in touch or tag rugby).

[grumbler]

sounds like orwellian newthink.

What the fuck does this mean? I mean I have read a bit of Orwell but I guess I missed this in Animal Farm.

I believe he means Newspeak (the simplification of language to prevent complex thoughts among the proletariat).  Or maybe he means doublethink (words that convey contradiction in and of themselves, to make it difficult to think in absolutes).  [I am oversimplifying, of course].  I don't believe that "newthink"  is an Orwellian term.

In any case, it seems a vague and bizarre accusation, especially when devoid of any specifics.

[crazy canuck]

sounds like orwellian newthink.

What the fuck does this mean? I mean I have read a bit of Orwell but I guess I missed this in Animal Farm.

I believe he means Newspeak (the simplification of language to prevent complex thoughts among the proletariat).  Or maybe he means doublethink (words that convey contradiction in and of themselves, to make it difficult to think in absolutes).  [I am oversimplifying, of course].  I don't believe that "newthink"  is an Orwellian term.

In any case, it seems a vague and bizarre accusation, especially when devoid of any specifics.

Ivan engaged in Newspeak.