Controversy overshadowed the British Miniseries Pool Championship last weekend when transgender athletes Harriet Haynes and Lucy Smith were allowed to compete. Haynes and Smith are both biologically male.
Haynes and Smith defeated a series of biologically female opponents to meet in the semifinals. Haynes won the match and advanced to the finals. There, Welsh woman Kirsty-Lee Davies was the last to stand between Haynes and claim the title in the women’s event.
Haynes took an early five-frame-to-two lead over Davis and reached the brink of the title. But then, Davis emerged victorious and avoided elimination, winning four frames in a row and making a complete comeback to win the championship.
The Women’s Rights Network praised Davis’ victory, writing, “Despite the best efforts of the pool authorities to destroy her chances by having two men compete in the women’s division.” However, WRN also pointed out that Haynes and Smith will receive prize money that “rightly belongs to women” by making it to the final and semi-final respectively.
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According to the websites of the British Pool Association and the World Eight Ball Pool Federation (WEPF), their rules state that transgender athletes can compete without any restrictions. These EPA bylaws are under review starting in December 2023.
In August 2023, WEPF announced that it would update its guidelines to allow only those “born as women” to play the sport.
“We understand that this decision may raise questions and debate within our sport. Our commitment to upholding our values of sportsmanship, inclusivity and compliance with regulatory standards remains steadfast. We would like to emphasize that,” WEPF said at the time. “Our ultimate goal is to ensure the continued growth and development of the sport we all love, while maintaining a harmonious balance between inclusivity and competitive integrity. We recognize the importance of fostering an environment where everyone can participate and thrive, and we will continue to do so.”We are committed to upholding these principles to the fullest. ”
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However, in October of the same year, WEPF withdrew that protection. This allows transgender people to compete under a conditioner who identifies as female for at least four years and provides evidence of reduced testosterone levels.
Transgender women’s participation in sports is being debated internationally and will be one of the most debated issues in the 2024 US presidential election.
A June survey conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago asked respondents whether trans athletes of both genders should be allowed to participate in sports leagues according to their desired gender identity rather than their biological sex. , 65% responded that it should never or rarely be allowed. When asked specifically about adult trans women athletes playing on women’s sports teams, 69% opposed it.
Former President Trump has taken a firm stance on including transgender people in his White House campaign. President Trump’s wife, former first lady Melania Trump, also recently opened up about biology to women’s sports in her new memoir, “Melania,” despite not agreeing with most of the Republican principles on LGBT rights. expressed opposition to allowing men to participate.
Meanwhile, the Biden-Harris administration is taking drastic steps to enable transgender inclusion.
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In April, the administration issued comprehensive regulations clarifying that Title IX, the ban on “sex” discrimination in schools, covers discrimination based on gender identity, sexual orientation, and “pregnancy or related conditions.” did.
The regulation came into effect on August 1 and for the first time explicitly states that discrimination based on sex includes acts related to a person’s gender identity. The Biden administration argued that the regulation does not address exercise eligibility. However, multiple experts told Fox News Digital in June that Biden’s claims that biological males would not participate in women’s sports were not true and that the proposal would ultimately lead to women’s sports. We provided evidence that it would increase the participation of biological males.
The Supreme Court says it will implement parts of the new rules, including protections from discrimination for transgender students under Title IX, after more than 20 Republican attorneys general filed suit to block Title IX changes. Biden’s emergency request was rejected by a 5-4 vote. state.
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