Twitter Reacts To Restriction On Trans Women From Competing In Women's Swimming

The International Swimming Federation (FINA) approved a new policy that restricts transgender women athletes from competing in women’s events. The new policy effectively bans transgender women athletes from competing.

Under the policy, only transgender women that “have not experienced any part of male puberty beyond Tanner Stage 2 or before the age 12, whichever is later” will be allowed to participate. The move effectively bans most transgender women from competing in women’s swimming. FINA said it may develop an “open category” for swimming competitions for people who don’t meet the criteria for neither the men’s nor the women’s events.

The International Olympic Committee released a new set of guidelines for transgender athletes in 2021. The framework allowed individual sports to set the criteria and dropped the rule that transgender athlete eligibility would be based on the level of testosterone.

Twitter Reacts To Restriction Of Transgender Women Athletes In Women’s Events

A Twitter user commented that “Transphobes: Trans women can't compete in women's sports unless they transition before puberty. Also transphobes: We're making it illegal to transition before you're a legal adult.”

The user was referring to how several states in America have attempted to ban transitioning until a person reaches the legal age. In Alabama, it is a felony to provide gender-affirming healthcare such as providing puberty blockers or performing gender transition surgery to people under the age of 19.

FINA’s rule states that transgender women athletes can only participate in women’s events if they transition before puberty, or before the age of 12.

Another user commented on how the restrictions on transgender women athletes were said to be made in the name of “fairness”. They described the decision as “punching down on trans athletes” rather than genetic or biological advantages. They added that Michael Phelps’ biological advances greatly outweighed the advantages transgender women would have in swimming.

Michael Phelps produces half the lactic acid that a typical athlete produces and has double-jointed ankles. Lactic acid causes fatigue and double-jointed ankles give him a vast wingspan, thus due to biological factors, Phelps is less likely to get tired and has a larger range when he kicks.

One user tweeted her concerns and said that the new ruling “Introduces a whole new level of policing that will make sports inaccessible and dangerous for people”. The user also said that the rules being used to exclude transgender women from sports would also be used to exclude women of colour in sports.

Senator for Victoria, Lidia Alma Thorpe tweeted that “Trans women are women. Trans men are men. Sports organisations are making their leagues unfair when they exclude people from competition.”

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