All-Star Transgender Athletes?

[ACEDAD]

As for a competition, whatever they choose to register as, I think they should be able to compete as. Surgery or not.

Seriously?

That's a lovely feeling, but the competitive advantage issue is real.

 

[mynewobsession]

I would think or hope that they would allow them to participate as female on an all-girl team. It could be so damaging to force her to dress in a male uniform and could possibly be outed as being trans. Aren't there laws that protect that sort of thing in some states?

If a person identifies as female, then they should be able to participate as female...

i agree

 

[callmecoach]

I agree with ACEDAD. A biologically male cheerleader competing on an all-girl team creates an unfair advantage. Not to mention it's breaking the rules. I get that this is a sensitive subject but it's also a real issue that requires us to think honestly about the situation without allowing our emotions or personal opinions to get in the way.

 

[njallday]

Seriously?

That's a lovely feeling, but the competitive advantage issue is real.

so it's a competitive advantage for a male transitioning to female to be on an all girl team as they have added strength and what not, so that's not okay. but a female transitioning to a male isn't an advantage so that's okay? or is it okay because they would want to be on a coed team anyway? what if they are male #19 when you're only allowed 18? but their legal name/gender is female so is that okay? sounds like quite a double standard to me. (this may not be exactly what you're saying, but playing devil's advocate here and the case you stated that already happened was about a male dressing as a female.)

i really never thought about this issue before in regards to comp registration and coed/all girl teams. it obviously creates quite a dilemma and either way i'm sure the ep's would be blamed as being unfair.

 

[mariahnicole1216]

Seriously?

That's a lovely feeling, but the competitive advantage issue is real.

I get that, but honestly how much of an advantage is one 'male' on an all girl team? In Illinois high school cheer you're not even considered coed if you only have one guy.

 

[ACEDAD]

so it's a competitive advantage for a male transitioning to female to be on an all girl team as they have added strength and what not, so that's not okay. but a female transitioning to a male isn't an advantage so that's okay? or is it okay because they would want to be on a coed team anyway? what if they are male #19 when you're only allowed 18? but their legal name/gender is female so is that okay? sounds like quite a double standard to me. (this may not be exactly what you're saying, but playing devil's advocate here and the case you stated that already happened was about a male dressing as a female.)

i really never thought about this issue before in regards to comp registration and coed/all girl teams. it obviously creates quite a dilemma and either way i'm sure the ep's would be blamed as being unfair.

No, I'm against it under any circumstances.

Had another issue that I had to battle a few years ago. As the special needs division got bigger and bigger, there were a lot of people seeking to have special needs athletes "mainstreamed" onto other teams. I've got no problem with that and if they can make the team, wonderful. But there were a bunch of people pushing to have special needs athletes assigned to teams based on their intellectual age instead of biological age. I had to fight hard, but finally got it killed. Who decides that?

Just the same here: who decides?

 

[redsmom]

As for a competition, whatever they choose to register as, I think they should be able to compete as. Surgery or not.

Seriously?

That's a lovely feeling, but the competitive advantage issue is real.

True the competitive advantage beyond puberty does exist, which is why this is not a trivial issue. I like the NCAA approach, which was explained in the SI article (link above).

" But last August the NCAA, which had previously deferred to government-issued documentation for gender classification, released a 38-page handbook that took a different approach. Guided by a think tank held with the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) in '09, the organization decided against requiring surgeries, which typically cost five figures and aren't covered by insurance. Genitalia, the NCAA concluded, do not impact athletic performance.
In a further departure from the IOC rules, NCAA guidelines stipulate that trans females need to undergo only one year of testosterone suppression before they can compete against women; trans males can receive a medical exemption to take testosterone under a doctor's supervision but can no longer compete on a women's team."
Just not sure how you apply that to an Allstar Cheer. Pre-puberty is not an issue (Tiny, Mini, Youth boys and girls compete together). Open adult-age athletes could be handled in a manner similar to NCAA. The quandary I have is how to handle the teenage athlete. The simple approach would be birth gender, but how does that impact these kids that are in very formative years. Seems to me there really is no easy answer, but it is worth an open discussion.

p.s. if you have a minute read and are interested in this topic, read this article, I found it fascinating Playing fields have long been segregated on the basis of - 05.28.12 - SI Vault

 

[ACEDAD]

I get that, but honestly how much of an advantage is one 'male' on an all girl team? In Illinois high school cheer you're not even considered coed if you only have one guy.

So is the new line one? Or two? Or three? Or what?

If a team has one male that identifies as a male, one male that identifies as a female and a female that identifies as a male, which division do they belong in?

 

[njallday]

No, I'm against it under any circumstances.

Had another issue that I had to battle a few years ago. As the special needs division got bigger and bigger, there were a lot of people seeking to have special needs athletes "mainstreamed" onto other teams. I've got no problem with that and if they can make the team, wonderful. But there were a bunch of people pushing to have special needs athletes assigned to teams based on their intellectual age instead of biological age. I had to fight hard, but finally got it killed. Who decides that?

Just the same here: who decides?

you're right, and i know you are.

it just makes me... sad? i guess. I can't imagine being a child/teen/adult who doesn't feel at home in their own body. the choice to transition to another gender can't be an easy one, especially with the fear of being excluded. the special thing about the cheer world is it's ability to accept everyone, no matter their differences. there really is a place for everyone. except in this situation. i just can't imagine telling someone who does not want to be a female and is making changes to become a male, that, "sorry we can't accept you here."

(and i know me feeling sad for a person is no reason to change sanctioned rules.)

 

[callmecoach]

I get that, but honestly how much of an advantage is one 'male' on an all girl team? In Illinois high school cheer you're not even considered coed if you only have one guy.

The point is that it's an ALL girl team. It's against the rules for a biological male to be on that team. You can say it's only one guy but bending the rules for anyone is a slippery slope and also just wrong.

 

[eliteathletics]

I do believe that the issue lies more with a boy competing as a girl because If you put 1 transgender on an all girl team why not 5 or 18 at what point does it come completely wrong. This is a very tough question but honestly they should be listed at what they were born as and if they choose to compete as a girl ( on a coed team) then it should NOT be stopped, as long as its a coed team and the team is not cheating by adding more males than allowed. Maybe the world needs a new check box, girl, boy and transgender.

 

[Callmeboots]

I do believe that the issue lies more with a boy competing as a girl because If you put 1 transgender on an all girl team why not 5 or 18 at what point does it come completely wrong. This is a very tough question but honestly they should be listed at what they were born as and if they choose to compete as a girl ( on a coed team) then it should NOT be stopped, as long as its a coed team and the team is not cheating by adding more males than allowed. Maybe the world needs a new check box, girl, boy and transgender.

But really, what are the chances of even having one transgender athlete on a team, let along more than that? These are special circumstances, and while I do understand what you're saying, it's wrong to make this person, who is probably a child, compete as something they don't identify as.

I'm sure there are plenty of girls that are stronger than certain guys on their teams, does that mean they should have to be on coed teams because they have a physical advantage? If we were talking an entire team of FTM athletes, then maybe I would understand, but this would more than likely only be one special case.

And you can't make it a double standard, if you're going to force biological males to compete as males, you have to do the same with females.

The world doesn't need a new check box...people need to change their way of thinking. Transgender people aren't their own gender, their mind just doesn't match their bodies.

 

[kickdblcj]

Doesn't anyone remember the transgender girl (boy to girl) that competed on an international team in florida a couple of years ago. It was on the boards because her wig flew off or something like that...

I think that people are more likely to have problems with male to female transgenders competing on an all girl team than vice versa.

In my opinion whatever your id says you are then that is what you should be competing under.

 

[BowsnBling]

Very interesting question and I'm also very curious what the answer is. I would hope she would be allowed to compete on an all-girl but then are other factors that might come into play, such as her strength if a she is a base compared to other girls on the team. If she is stronger because she was biologically born a male does that give that team an unfair advantage for certain stunts?
12stepCheermom I would use the pronoun of whatever gender they are transitioning to. If she is now a he, then definitely use he.

I only got about 5 deep in this conversation but came across your post and the comment of 'I would hope she' stopped me. She is not a she in the physical sense or the legal sense, so until that would get ironed out I don't see how the athlete should be able to register as a female. I think it should go off of whatever is on their ID.

 

[Tosh]

Some interesting reading, so here is my two cents......There are a few states where there must be more than two boys on the team in order to compete as Co-ed. so to the person that said they do not see the advantage with one male on the team....I agree with you; there is no advantage having one male on the team....Would we be having this conversation if this individual was a flyer?
Though I do not see this as an issue, I do understand that many will have concerns, and lets face it, someone will take a straight male and put him in a skirt to cheat. that being said, this subject does need to be discussed and hopefully the decisions made will be in the best interest of our sons and daughters.....jmo