Sarah, that is a great analogy! As a physician and former Division 1 NCAA swimmer, I was stunned that a mediocre male swimmer at Penn could simply switch to swimming in the women’s NCAA championship, going from a non-qualifier to an NCAA champion… since that nonsensical event, I have followed this issue closely! It continues to amaze me that this lives on. Keep up the good work!
One might think Lia Thomas would have proven the end of "the trans debate." You're amazed that it didn't because you're a rational person who believes in the immutability of binary sex. But as I wrote, facts don't matter in "the trans debate." Just as you can't debate a flat earther. Gender ideology has been likened to a cult or a fundamentalist religion--facts do not matter. Science does not matter. The media has played probably the most important role in validating this ideology
"Once someone transitions, their biology changes in meaningful ways that make them no longer “male” in the physiological sense relevant to sport." A female is not a male who has made physiological changes through hormones and surgery. The unstated goal here is to get rid of sports for girls and women, and the aggressiveness with which these dudes pursue this goal by bulldozing the boundaries of formerly female sports belies the notion that the lingering testosterone effects have faded.
You make an important point—it is anti-sport to base eligibility for a category on the introduction of exogenous drugs, whether inhibiting or enhancing performance
And their argument on performance and “fairness” should hold up if you flip the script. For example, transmen who are taking testosterone to “equally” perform as males, should be seen participating and excelling in men’s sports. Yet they don’t even make the teams. I’ve yet to ever see a trans man in the NBA, Olympics, or even hear about their participation in men’s amateur leagues.
In the 2024 Olympics, a Filipino female boxer who identified as a man competed in men's boxing and was I believe knocked out in the first round. I don't follow boxing but have not heard anything from Bacyadan since
Another great article Sarah! While I had several chuckles from your article, it still boils my blood that women seem to be diminished by these snake charmers to a testosterone level. They seem to brush aside the qualities that don't change just because you suppress testosterone, take cross sex hormones, cut things off, sew things on or put on a dress and some make up. Money for scientific studies would be better spent to assess the mental health of both the participants and the scientists that buy into "flat earth."
It appears these "scientists" are panicking because most logical individuals know that sex is immutable. And most logical people want to keep the female category for females. Their support, while loud, is waning. Desperate people do desperate things. I think we can count on more snake charmers producing more nonsense hoping someone will buy their product.
Thank goodness people like you are calling them out!
Thank you. The almost routine overlooking of motivated underperformance in these alleged studies infuriates me. Their used to be a good word for that in (some) sporting circles - ringer.
'When I use a word,' Humpty Dumpty said, in rather a scornful tone, 'it means just what I choose it to mean — neither more nor less.'
'The question is,' said Alice, 'whether you can make words mean so many different things.'
'The question is,' said Humpty Dumpty, 'which is to be master — that's all.'
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If we stop the language corruption (concrete sex to asserted identity) the game ends.
I tried in 2024 DFL precinct caucus and I was voted down 10-1:
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RESOLUTION TITLE (limited to 5 words): Protect Sex-based Language and Law
BE IT RESOLVED THAT:
Be it resolved that the DFL party affirms biological sex (male and female) as an essential and immutable characteristic of individuals in society. Objective language must be preserved to protect sex-based rights. By age and sex, a man is defined as an adult human male, and a woman is an adult human female. Birth certificates must not be altered, except for limited medical exceptions. State identification must accurately reflect biological sex, not self-designation. We acknowledge that individual gender diversity exists and gender nonconformity should not compromise their rights, regardless of physical alterations. While individuals may have the right to not disclose their age or sex, explicit misrepresentation should be considered fraudulent.
----
In 2026 I passed this one in the GOP precinct 4-0, and SD39 yesterday.
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We resolve that biological sex (male and female) is an essential and immutable characteristic of individuals in society. Objective language must be protected to preserve sex-based rights. State ID must reflect biological sex, not self-designation. Liberation exists by variations within each sex not pretending to be the opposite sex.
----
Asking "what is a woman?" Is now a political litmus test for reality. The answer "human female" is the only valid answer among reality interested people. Female is a developmental path in the womb after 6-8 weeks, irreversible.
That Republicans know this doesn't make them reality based in all things, only one thing that the Democrats have rejected.
Carl Sagan's Demon Haunted World is here for the political left.
“One of the saddest lessons of history is this: If we’ve been bamboozled long enough, we tend to reject any evidence of the bamboozle. We’re no longer interested in finding out the truth. The bamboozle has captured us. It’s simply too painful to acknowledge, even to ourselves, that we’ve been taken. Once you give a charlatan power over you, you almost never get it back.”
Empathy is a failed standard for politics, unless it also includes facts. When it doesn't you get captured by nonsense. Sadly yes, scientists and teachers and very smart people can fall for nonsense. Modern specialization and credentialism means nonsense can run a decade on no evidence.
I wish this nightmare nonreality on the left would lift. Sports corruption is the tip of the iceberg.
Sarah, that is a great analogy! As a physician and former Division 1 NCAA swimmer, I was stunned that a mediocre male swimmer at Penn could simply switch to swimming in the women’s NCAA championship, going from a non-qualifier to an NCAA champion… since that nonsensical event, I have followed this issue closely! It continues to amaze me that this lives on. Keep up the good work!
One might think Lia Thomas would have proven the end of "the trans debate." You're amazed that it didn't because you're a rational person who believes in the immutability of binary sex. But as I wrote, facts don't matter in "the trans debate." Just as you can't debate a flat earther. Gender ideology has been likened to a cult or a fundamentalist religion--facts do not matter. Science does not matter. The media has played probably the most important role in validating this ideology
"Once someone transitions, their biology changes in meaningful ways that make them no longer “male” in the physiological sense relevant to sport." A female is not a male who has made physiological changes through hormones and surgery. The unstated goal here is to get rid of sports for girls and women, and the aggressiveness with which these dudes pursue this goal by bulldozing the boundaries of formerly female sports belies the notion that the lingering testosterone effects have faded.
“Transgender women exhibit strength and fitness similar to cisgender women months after hormone therapy”
You mean, months after taking performance inhibiting drugs? Taking ANY drugs to gain access to specific performance categories should be banned.
Take away the drugs and the whole house of cards fall.
You make an important point—it is anti-sport to base eligibility for a category on the introduction of exogenous drugs, whether inhibiting or enhancing performance
And their argument on performance and “fairness” should hold up if you flip the script. For example, transmen who are taking testosterone to “equally” perform as males, should be seen participating and excelling in men’s sports. Yet they don’t even make the teams. I’ve yet to ever see a trans man in the NBA, Olympics, or even hear about their participation in men’s amateur leagues.
In the 2024 Olympics, a Filipino female boxer who identified as a man competed in men's boxing and was I believe knocked out in the first round. I don't follow boxing but have not heard anything from Bacyadan since
I was wrong. Bacyadan competed in the Olympics in women's boxing.
Another great article Sarah! While I had several chuckles from your article, it still boils my blood that women seem to be diminished by these snake charmers to a testosterone level. They seem to brush aside the qualities that don't change just because you suppress testosterone, take cross sex hormones, cut things off, sew things on or put on a dress and some make up. Money for scientific studies would be better spent to assess the mental health of both the participants and the scientists that buy into "flat earth."
It appears these "scientists" are panicking because most logical individuals know that sex is immutable. And most logical people want to keep the female category for females. Their support, while loud, is waning. Desperate people do desperate things. I think we can count on more snake charmers producing more nonsense hoping someone will buy their product.
Thank goodness people like you are calling them out!
Thank you. The almost routine overlooking of motivated underperformance in these alleged studies infuriates me. Their used to be a good word for that in (some) sporting circles - ringer.
Believing six impossible things before breakfast can feel liberating. Lewis Carroll's wonderland also has Alice meet Humpty Dumpty...
https://sabian.org/looking_glass6.php
----
'When I use a word,' Humpty Dumpty said, in rather a scornful tone, 'it means just what I choose it to mean — neither more nor less.'
'The question is,' said Alice, 'whether you can make words mean so many different things.'
'The question is,' said Humpty Dumpty, 'which is to be master — that's all.'
----
If we stop the language corruption (concrete sex to asserted identity) the game ends.
I tried in 2024 DFL precinct caucus and I was voted down 10-1:
----
RESOLUTION TITLE (limited to 5 words): Protect Sex-based Language and Law
BE IT RESOLVED THAT:
Be it resolved that the DFL party affirms biological sex (male and female) as an essential and immutable characteristic of individuals in society. Objective language must be preserved to protect sex-based rights. By age and sex, a man is defined as an adult human male, and a woman is an adult human female. Birth certificates must not be altered, except for limited medical exceptions. State identification must accurately reflect biological sex, not self-designation. We acknowledge that individual gender diversity exists and gender nonconformity should not compromise their rights, regardless of physical alterations. While individuals may have the right to not disclose their age or sex, explicit misrepresentation should be considered fraudulent.
----
In 2026 I passed this one in the GOP precinct 4-0, and SD39 yesterday.
----
We resolve that biological sex (male and female) is an essential and immutable characteristic of individuals in society. Objective language must be protected to preserve sex-based rights. State ID must reflect biological sex, not self-designation. Liberation exists by variations within each sex not pretending to be the opposite sex.
----
Asking "what is a woman?" Is now a political litmus test for reality. The answer "human female" is the only valid answer among reality interested people. Female is a developmental path in the womb after 6-8 weeks, irreversible.
That Republicans know this doesn't make them reality based in all things, only one thing that the Democrats have rejected.
Carl Sagan's Demon Haunted World is here for the political left.
“One of the saddest lessons of history is this: If we’ve been bamboozled long enough, we tend to reject any evidence of the bamboozle. We’re no longer interested in finding out the truth. The bamboozle has captured us. It’s simply too painful to acknowledge, even to ourselves, that we’ve been taken. Once you give a charlatan power over you, you almost never get it back.”
Empathy is a failed standard for politics, unless it also includes facts. When it doesn't you get captured by nonsense. Sadly yes, scientists and teachers and very smart people can fall for nonsense. Modern specialization and credentialism means nonsense can run a decade on no evidence.
I wish this nightmare nonreality on the left would lift. Sports corruption is the tip of the iceberg.