Ele Ludemann: Inclusion excludes

At last, some common sense on prioritising safety and fairness in sport:

Sport & Recreation Minister Chris Bishop has asked Sport NZ to review and update its Guiding Principles for the Inclusion of Transgender People in Community Sport.

“The Guiding Principles, published in 2022, were intended to be a helpful guide for sporting bodies grappling with a tricky issue. They are intended to be voluntary, not mandatory.

“Earlier this year I undertook to keep a watching brief over this genuinely difficult issue. As part of that watching brief I have met with a range of individuals and groups, and have sought advice from Sport NZ.

“The National-New Zealand First Coalition Agreement commits the Government to ensuring publicly funded sporting bodies support fair competition that is not compromised by rules relating to gender.

“It is important that transgender people feel able to participate in community sport – but there are obviously difficult issues for sporting bodies to grapple with around fairness and safety as a result of that participation.

“I have come to the view that the Guiding Principles do not reflect legitimate community expectations that sport at a community level should not just be focused on diversity, inclusion and equity – but also prioritise fairness and safety.

“Earlier this week I wrote to Sport NZ Chief Executive Raelene Castle to ask her to review and update the Guiding Principles accordingly. . .

Safety and fairness must take priority and allowing males to compete in female teams where they have biological advantages, including strength and height, is neither safe nor fair.

Sex is determined in the womb a few weeks into gestation. It cannot and doesn’t change and determines differences between males and females.

Sports people have spent decades fighting against drugs in sport. What is the difference in the advantage that artificial hormones provide and those that occur naturally? Add bone and muscle structure, and weight, that advantages males and the threats to safety and fairness of female competitors and opponents are greater.

Another aspect of the unfairness is that inclusion of trans people excludes those who aren’t.

A male who isn’t able to participate in activities and teams with or against girls and women can take part in activities and teams with boys and men. Females who are excluded from girls’ and women’s activities and teams have nowhere else to go.

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Ele Ludemann is a North Otago farmer and journalist, who blogs HERE - where this article was sourced.