Really wrote:
My apologies, after reviewing the difference between sex and gender, I will clarify my statement, using the following explation: The distinction between sex and gender differentiates a person's biological sex (the anatomy of an individual's reproductive system, and secondary sex characteristics) from that person's gender, which can refer to either social roles based on the sex of the person (gender role) or personal identification of one's own gender based on an internal awareness (gender identity)"
Classifications in sports should be based solely on sex, rather than gender. Period. There is too big of an advantage for those who gender identify as a female, whose sex is male. The testosteronal difference between an individual whose sex is female and an individual who gender identifies as a female, even though there sex is male, is massive and unfair. The muscle mass and body structure is a huge advantage for the gender identifying female, even after a year of hormonal therapy. (Forcing someone to take hormones to compete is an entirely different argument that is just as messy and should be another conversation for a different thread). This is completely unfair to the individual's who identify as female through gender and whose sex is also female, therefore, if we are trying to put everyone on a level playing field in sports, either transgender athletes need their own classification (if you want it to be based on gender), compete in the same classification as there sex indicates, or have one giant classification for everyone.
If this isn't rational enough for you to have a productive conversation about then I don't know what is. I am trying to be completely respectful and open to dialogue about this.
this post should be at the top of every page of the thread.