Originally published at: The Fight Over Trans Girls’ Sports Participation Moves to the November Ballot - TPM – Talking Points Memo
This story was originally reported by Brooke Migdon of The 19th. Meet Brooke and read more of their reporting on gender, politics and policy. Legislatures in left-leaning states have consistently rejected bills that would bar transgender student-athletes from participating in sports in line with their gender identity. But this November, the question of whether to…
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What a waste of time, money and energy. Are not there more important issues in America?
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In addition to all the other problems with these initiatives, they are incredibly paternalistic. They imply girls have to be protected; that they aren’t able to stand up for themselves or be treated equally to boys. It’s condescending and demeaning. It demonstrates a lack of respect for women and girls cloaked in language claiming they are protecting them.
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I’m sure tens of thousands of trans kids will be forced out of sports by this.
Oh wait, maybe one or two people will be affected, but it is an amazingly effective culture war cudgel for the guardians of pedophiles party to get their cult to the polls and boost turnout.
That tied fifth place finish had a lot to answer for.
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Juan Ciscomani just came out with a transphobic campaign commercial trying to scare people from voting for JoAnna Mendoza.
Needless to say, he is silent about his votes gutting health care.
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Well sometimes they do IMO. Women have had to fight for everything they have. This is nothing new. A competitive male swimmer claiming female identity still has 20-60% greater muscle mass, testosterone, and greater lung capacity than a female swimmer. And would rank nationally somewhere, at best, in the middle of competitive male swimmers.
It’s demoralizing and just unfair.
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Sport-by-sport and case-by-case management based on gender assignment, amount of time on hormones etc. is much more effective than a blanket ban. These bans are a first step towards removing other legal protections for transgender people. I recommend M Gessen’s NYT op ed which explains the issue well. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/02/opinion/trans-athletes-sports-supreme-court.html?unlocked_article_code=1.ulA.MhdZ.yqG_qhlylxcl&smid=url-share
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The reality is that if you look at records for running, swimming, biking, high jump, skiing, mens scores are faster, higher longer etc than ANY woman. The problem with trans (formerly male) women in women’s sports is that they have an unfair advantage. I support trans rights in terms of access to health care, marriage, and other realms that do not disadvantage women but here I agree with Martina Navratilova (obviously homophobic -not) that there needs to be a binary category or co-ed divisions and womens sports need to be for biological (2 X chromosomes) women.
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What a waste of time and money.
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Sigh goddamn conservative social wedge issue that drives the crazies to the polls, just what we need.
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