This story has gone mainstream and is being picked up everywhere. For example, Megyn Kelly talked about it and has video clips of some of the key moments: https://www.youtube.com/watch?...
Many in the Alt-Right world want trans people to vanish - they think they are not real.
Gladwell - like most - is limiting his comments to sport. And most of us would agree - there some distinct advantages that accrue to being born cis XY.
Well, trans women are NOT cis XY by definition.
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It is, by definition, anti-trans inclusion in sport. You can argue whether that's right or wrong, but you can't pretend that it's not anti-trans inclusion.
Nah sorry, I'd say by definition it's objectively male exclusion from a protected category for females. In the exact same way that age categories and weight categories do not allow for ineligible participants- they exclude. You wouldn't say that high school sport is 'anti-adult inclusion' would you?
You can call it that, but then you're moving beyond a point about protection of women's sports to a broader point about whether trans people have the right to be identified as they prefer. Going back to Tucker and Gladwell, I think both would demur from that point while affirming their opposition to trans women competing in the female category. Likewise, I'm happy to debate with reasonable people about whether trans women should be allowed to participate in the female category in sports. I'm not going to debate whether trans people have the right to live in the way that they choose.
I think when we get to the point of just shouting at trans people, telling them that they are male/female then we've moved beyond reasoned debate.
You can call it that, but then you're moving beyond a point about protection of women's sports to a broader point about whether trans people have the right to be identified as they prefer. Going back to Tucker and Gladwell, I think both would demur from that point while affirming their opposition to trans women competing in the female category. Likewise, I'm happy to debate with reasonable people about whether trans women should be allowed to participate in the female category in sports. I'm not going to debate whether trans people have the right to live in the way that they choose.
I think when we get to the point of just shouting at trans people, telling them that they are male/female then we've moved beyond reasoned debate.
I don’t believe that welfare (Medicaid) should pay for one group’s cosmetic surgery…but what rights do normal people have that they don’t?
All the stuff he said about the path for kids to become elite in Tennis and Golf becoming narrowed to the point it could take 100k a year to prep a kid was way more interesting.
I don't think he's one of the brilliant minds of our age but he does think about things and his real skill is communication.
It's a great interview, well worth a listen
He's right about that, and it's also a reason why US men's soccer won't progress. Everywhere else in the world, soccer is the most meritocratic sport. The barriers to entry are extremely low (equipment requirements are negligible, the game can be played virtually anywhere) but in the US, progression at an early age is being linked to participation in leagues that can cost tens of thousands for families. It's cutting off vast swathes of the population in a way that doesn't happen elsewhere. This severely limits the chances there'll ever be an American Messi
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Wrong. A man, with chromosomes XY who wants to compete against XX because they feel "feminine", is not the same type of "group that's losing out" as natural women would in this scenario.
Trans person can compete no problem, in their natural XY category. (Listen, no one is concerned about XX trying to compete in XY sports).
Do you "trust the science" that is evolution? Do you think it stopped when "homo sapiens" were "evolved"? It didn't. Each and every one of us is a unique branch of evolution. Our traits may not be fully compatible with society. It is a foolish ideology that thinks society should adapt to every individual whim.
I trust the science, and this person was born with XY chromosomes.
Our opposition is not to the existence of trans people.
Our opposition is to Males in women's sports.
The gender people keep bringing this back to general trans inclusion because it obfuscates the real issue, which is MALES IN WOMEN'S SPORTS.
Just putting this here again. "Trans rights" sounds noble and progressive. Toxic, aggressive males invading and dominating women's spaces, not so much.
Our opposition is not to the existence of trans people.
Our opposition is to Males in women's sports.
The gender people keep bringing this back to general trans inclusion because it obfuscates the real issue, which is MALES IN WOMEN'S SPORTS.
Just putting this here again. "Trans rights" sounds noble and progressive. Toxic, aggressive males invading and dominating women's spaces, not so much.
Remember "rape culture"?
When males feel entitled to aggressively enter women's spaces despite repeatedly being asked to leave. Males who do not take NO for an answer. Males who will stop at nothing to get their way.
Some people are telling women the right thing to do now is give in and passively say ok! Really?
You can call it that, but then you're moving beyond a point about protection of women's sports to a broader point about whether trans people have the right to be identified as they prefer. Going back to Tucker and Gladwell, I think both would demur from that point while affirming their opposition to trans women competing in the female category. Likewise, I'm happy to debate with reasonable people about whether trans women should be allowed to participate in the female category in sports. I'm not going to debate whether trans people have the right to live in the way that they choose.
I think when we get to the point of just shouting at trans people, telling them that they are male/female then we've moved beyond reasoned debate.
I think you're bright enough to realise that this is sophistry tied to an ideological belief. The fact remains that sports bodies globally are universally all moving one way on this: males (however they think of themselves) are being excluded from female competition and sex testing is becoming standard. The argument to 'include' a subcategory of males in female sport based on that male's subjective sense of self has already been fought (and lost).
Many in the Alt-Right world want trans people to vanish - they think they are not real.
Gladwell - like most - is limiting his comments to sport. And most of us would agree - there some distinct advantages that accrue to being born cis XY.
Well, trans women are NOT cis XY by definition.
At birth they are cis unless genitalia is different. The physician making the determination of gender sees nothing physically that would indicate otherwise, so writes M/F.
Latest 'Real Science of Sport' podcast has a great interview with Gladwell. He had been the chair on a lopsided panel against sports scientist Ross Tucker on the topic of Transgender Athletes in 2022. At the outset of the podcast he says he agrees 100% with Ross that there is no place for trans athletes in female sport and that he was ashamed of his performance on that panel because he was cowed by the panel/audience. "I was objective in a dishonest way- I let a lot of howlers pass without comment". He also calls for an end to the spectacle of boys taking part in girls' sport at high school level: "Parents are not gonna put up with this sort of bullsh*t".
Refreshing to hear someone hold themselves accountable for when they got things wrong/weren't as intellectually honest as they could have been on this topic. More of this please.
I am just at the part where Gladwell is talking about tennis...
I appreciated his comments on that. It was certainly far easier at the time to say nothing versus running the risk of catching hell from the trans community. Lots of people allegedly were saying that in private they believed in protecting women's sport but did not dare say anything out loud for fear of losing contracts or other opportunities.
I was wondering if he would talk about the "10,000 hour rule" and glad he did although I don't think he fully understands that his poor writing (and he can be a poor writer) helped propel the youth sports situation that he now laments. Also he often takes one study and just does not understand it and Ericksson's study is a beautiful case study. He sort of explained what he was trying to do, but man that caused some damage. (Thanks to David Epstein for busting that myth---and kudos to Gladwell for his humility.)
Many in the Alt-Right world want trans people to vanish - they think they are not real.
Gladwell - like most - is limiting his comments to sport. And most of us would agree - there some distinct advantages that accrue to being born cis XY.
The problem is that it’s the trans activists, aided by the media that is run by folks with a notorious dislike of Western Civilization, a dislike that stems from an innate dislike of any culture that rules any country they live in. The media folks disingenuously back the trans people because it disrupts things, not because they actually believe in them. The media folks know they’re crackpots in need of psychological aid but see them as useful idiots that can be ised to further erode functioning society. Part of the old divide and conquer strategy.
This has emboldened the trans activists to the point of them intimidating people like Gladwell, and screeching to the public about having all things their way, setting up things like a “Day of Trans Vengeance” and “The Trans Day of Revenge” etc. The same money and instigators pushing BLM are also behind these circus freak show activities.
All of this has provided us with the shootings, with the trans activist shooters in those cases going after what they hate most, those they perceive as normal, happy children.
They are a menace. Do not let them near children.
NOW: Gorka SHUTS DOWN CNN’s fake narrative that 96% of mass shootings were carried out by non-trans men.
There’s one BIG problem with that data set...and @SebGorka exposed it live for all to hear.
Or, rather more cynically, he's just following the herd and he's seen that it's much more socially acceptable to be anti-trans now. Given how easily Gladwell seems to be persuaded by single, often not replicable, social science studies in his main line of work, it looks like he's a man of fairly malleable beliefs
This is tricky. I agree that Gladwell too often takes one study or incident and tries to make too much of it.
At the same time, changing one's beliefs based on new evidence is a good thing! Now if one is changing just to go with the tide, that is a different story. In this case it sounds like even then Gladwell was supportive of Ross' side but did not speak up and let somethings slide as a moderator. (Also a moderator really should not take a side in a format like that.)
It is also bad when one side can create a climate where debate cannot occur and that often happens in a wide range of areas ("settled science" in climate change discussions for instance). The trans activists used that tactic often to avoid discussions. As much as I do not like Riley Gaines and don't think she has made the best arguments for protecting women's sport she did help to bring it to light.
That is Not anti-trans. It is Pro-woman Athletic Fairness and Safety. Simple. Period. It's also not a herd. It's breaking from the herd that managed to gain some seriously funky momentum. It was based on fear and guilt, and now the policies are much nearer reality and science and fact.
If trans females " just want to compete ", they still are able, and hopefully will --to at least stay physically heathy.
It is, by definition, anti-trans inclusion in sport. You can argue whether that's right or wrong, but you can't pretend that it's not anti-trans inclusion. Ross repeatedly makes that clear himself, that this is an issue about competing rights and wherever you land, one group is going to lose out in some way. The only issue that's really up for debate is which group you want to deprive. There's no perfect solution here, only a least imperfect outcome.
I agree that no matter what policy decision is made someone "loses". Yes, that person can compete, but it still is not an ideal situation for them. We also need to teach the players on the team not to be a--holes because that person is different. We have largely done it with gay athletes. The acceptance in society is pretty darn good (not perfect but that is never going to happen) and with younger people it is more likely that if someone says something anti-gay now, someone will call them out on it. We need that same sort of acceptance with the guy who sees themself as a girl from his male teammates.
The use of "anti" and "pro" are semantic devices. See anti-abortion and pro-life...So yes in a way it is anti-trans just as it is anti-old to exclude 25 year olds from youth sports.
Trans people can play dress up and live in make believe land but no competitive sports for you. Let’s put it to a vote next year, midterms. Oh, but the sickos and enablers don’t want that because it’s a 90/10 issue at worst. That’s 90% against enablers.
So you would exclude them from all sports, not just the issue at hand here (cis men in women's sports)? Also, majority rule can be a horrible thing and our system of government is set up expressly to limit the tyranny of the majority.
