[blindmute]

I honestly can't see any better way than this. The disparity stems from sex. Biological, real, physical, genetic sex. This is the difference, and this is what the categories are, in recognition of the difference. Humans are a binary sex species, and the males are stronger. We realized this many many years ago, and understood that in order for women to be able to compete in any sport at all, they need to not compete against men. Transsexuals do not have biological, real, physical, genetic claim to being women. They just feel like women. Sorry, but physical development doesn't care about your feelings.

Transsexuals, I understand you want very much to compete in the womens' section, but you are not women, and so you cannot fairly compete with them for the same reasons that men cannot compete with them. I understand this is an upsetting problem for you, but your desires do not overrule the entirety of female competitive integrity. If you went through puberty as a male, tough luck, you cannot compete against women anymore. Just as I cannot compete in the Special Olympics intellectual disability sports because I went through full normal brain development, you cannot compete against women, because you went through male hormonal development.

[necovek]

Let's get a couple things straight.

I don't see anyone arguing that transsexual women should be allowed to compete with women, so I am not sure who are you directing your comment at.

Next, I would say it's undisputed that even if someone has gone through body development as male, after prolonged period of lacking testosterone, their advantages diminish and they are not really competitive with males (it seems like you might be disputing this, but not in so many words).

If we agree on the above, the question is simple: do we want to include them in sporting competitions, and if so, how would we do that?

I think we all agree on including them, and for the same reasons we've got a gender split in sports at all (to allow women to win and thus encourage them to play sports), an obvious way is to introduce another (or few) categories. It's easy to say what shouldn't happen (they should not compete against women), but the question is what should happen without outright banning some athletes or putting them in a losing proposition against men.

Btw, your premise about Special Olympics is also untrue. If you get brain impaired at a later date (or become a paraplegic), you will be admitted to competition. I am sure there are strict rules to reduce cheating.

Again, the goal should at all times be to support anyone and everyone to compete in sports, while maintaining fairness to all participants. That's sometimes not clear cut or simple, or maybe not economical, but those should be the goals we strive for.

[blindmute]

> I don't see anyone arguing that transsexual women should be allowed to compete with women, so I am not sure who are you directing your comment at.

Many people are arguing it, successfully; that's why TFA is notable. My comment was rhetorically directed at readers who may agree with them.

> Next, I would say it's undisputed that even if someone has gone through body development as male, after prolonged period of lacking testosterone, their advantages diminish and they are not really competitive with males

Their advantages diminish to the extent that they cannot maintain as much muscle mass as a man. The structural advantages remain, such that they are always at an advantage against women. I would say they become like weak men.

I have no problem with a transgender section of sports. I just don't foresee that happening. The pool is so small, and nobody would watch it.

[wizofaus]

I had two thoughts...

a) handicaps? might not work for all sports, but worth looking into surely.

b) instead of a hard "male at age 12" rule, allow the athlete to undergo a series of tests to demonstrate their physiology is in line with that of a female rather than a male.

But...realistically these decisions should be left to the experts.

(BTW I'm pretty sure your statement "They just feel like women. Sorry, but physical development doesn't care about your feelings." isn't really accurate for many such transsexuals - the reasons they decided to transition are just as much biochemical as anything else. And if it weren't true, then there's no issue - they just compete in the "men's" category).