The trans weightlifter is heading to the Olympics and will compete against women. Is this a milestone for the trans community, or a sporting fraud?
Laurel Hubbard is undoubtedly one of those female athletes whose name now fills the content of all types of media. The New Zealand trans weightlifter has qualified for the upcoming Olympics in the women's super heavyweight category. And given her performances so far, it's estimated that she even has a realistic chance of standing on the podium (or winning). In fact, her performance in qualification was the fourth best in the category. However, Hubbard's participation in the Olympics has once again begun to divide opinion in society - while one part of it sees her as a huge step forward for all trans athletes, the other claims that the weightlifter is simply benefiting from an unfair advantage.
Formally, everything is (relatively) clear
It has to be said that the participation of trans female athletes has been on the agenda of the International Olympic Committee for some time, and according to the 2015 guidelines, athletes undergoing male-to-female transition can even compete in the women's category without having to undergo surgery involving testicular removal. The only condition they have to meet is to prove that their testosterone levels have stayed below 10 nanomoles/litre for at least the last year (which, incidentally, is also an International Weightlifting Federation rule). In addition to this, trans female athletes are only required to declare that their gender identity is female (and this declaration cannot be changed for sporting purposes for a minimum of four years). Yet there is already little consensus on these rules - in fact, according to some scientists, they are set up in such a way that they do not sufficiently reduce the biological advantages of those who have grown up formally as men, with the minimum required testosterone level being up to five times higher than that of biological women.
Moreover, there is already scientific work demonstrating that those who have gone through puberty as men (in the biological sense) retain significant strength and performance benefits, even after subsequently taking medication designed to lower testosterone levels. Conversely, the other camp of opinion argues that the transition itself diminishes the biological advantages of those who have gone through puberty as males, and that the physical differences between athletes themselves mean that there is never really a completely level playing field.
Hubbard, now 43, did not decide to transition until the age of 35, and had not participated in any international sporting events until then. Since transitioning in 2012, however, she has already collected some rather prestigious titles, including silver at the 2017 World Championships. In this context, the athlete then said that the rules that allowed her to participate in competitions came into force back in 2003. "They are known as the Stockholm Consensus with the International Olympic Team, but I think at that time the world was not ready for athletes like me - in fact, it is possible that it is not ready for them even now. Still, I felt that people were willing to accept me at this competition - and it also seemed like the time was right to simply give it a try," she explained.
A mockery of the sport?
Of course, with trans athlete readiness, it's clearly not going to be so hot. Indeed, a petition has already been set up to prevent transgender athletes from competing in the Olympics against "biological" women. The petition currently has over 20,000 signatures. And in addition to the public, some health professionals and some of Hubbard's female opponents are protesting Hubbard's participation, saying it is a "bad joke" and a "mockery of sport." "Anyone who trains weightlifting at a high level knows that the truth is in the bones: this particular situation is unfair for the sport and the athletes," said Belgian weightlifter Anna Vanbellinghen, who is likely to compete in the same category as Hubbard. She also added that "the whole discussion is of course taking place in the wider context of discrimination against transgender people and therefore the issue is not simple ideology ."
According to Beth Stelzer, an American amateur powerlifter who founded the charity Save Womens's Sport, then, the general acceptance of the move to allow trans women to compete in women's weightlifting competitions is already literally shameful. "What the Olympics are doing - that is, allowing men to compete in the women's category - is not only shameful, it makes a mockery of sport. We can't change genders," she said bluntly, adding that "a man can't become a woman by lowering his testosterone levels and that a transgender woman is a man anyway." That, then, is a statement de facto denying the very nature of transition, yet even Stelzer addressed many who share her view.
Respect and acceptance vs. universal satisfaction
Hubbard is not giving up, however; indeed, it is not only from New Zealanders (and directly from New Zealand Olympic Committee CEO Kereyn Smith) that she has received support, for which - as she also stated - she is very grateful. "We recognise that gender identity in sport is a very sensitive and complex issue requiring a balance between human rights and fairness on the field. But as Team New Zealand we have a strong culture of inclusion and respect for all," Smith said bluntly. For example, British Olympic swimmer Sharon Davies also expressed her support for Hubbard. "We have a separate men's and women's competition for a BIG reason, biology doesn't matter in sport," she tweeted.
In any case, it is rather difficult to take a clear position on how (un)fair the participation of trans women athletes in prestigious events might be - not least because trans athletes could be viewed through a similar lens. And they could be at a disadvantage in competitions against biological men for a change. Perhaps the only way to make everyone happy would be to set up special trans sports categories...
