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Let the Transgender Compete

By Walter Block

July 2, 2022

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What should we do as a society, when the rights of one category of people seem to clash with those of a different demographic?

What should we do as a society, when the rights of one category of people seem to clash with those of a different demographic? It is simple: let us try to have our cake and eat it too: satisfy, insofar as is humanly possible, the desires of not one of these groups, but both of them.

What are the specifics? Transgendered athletes who moved from male to female want to be treated as members of the latter group. In particular, they greatly desire to be able to engage in sports events alongside with, and in competition against, females. Advocates for girls’ and woman’s athleticism regard their participation as unfair. These competitors are bigger, stronger, more muscular, etc.

Many state legislatures are adamant about this: such transgendered athletes should be simply banned from competing against females.

Many state legislatures are adamant about this: such transgendered athletes should be simply banned from competing against females. Sometimes, the governor of the state takes the opposite position. In Louisiana, for instance, Governor John Bel Edwards is equally committed to the very opposite position. He vetoed this sort of ban last year, and is likely to do so regarding this year’s similar attempt. Mr. Edwards has dismissed this legislative initiative as “mean-spirited and unnecessary.” In Indiana, in another instance of this phenomena, Governor Eric Holcomb, a Republican, vetoed the Indiana legislature’s attempt to ban high school boys from competing against girls, no matter how the former identified themselves. But this veto was overturned.

How, then, to square the circle? Simple, inaugurate the “separate but equal” philosophy that in an entirely different context, to be sure, was highly problematic, but is not so in this case. How would this work out in practice?

All three can compete against each other, and then, also, not compete against one another.

Some sports should be open to all, without fear or favor. For example, consider 5k, 10k- to-marathon road races; I choose this sport since, probably, more people engage in it than in any other. All and sundry runners and race walkers should be able to compete. As to the prizes, there should be as many separate categories as is reasonable. Already in such events age is taken into account. Prizes are often awarded to competitors in 10-year gaps; it simply would not do to have 80-year-oldsters compete against those in their twenties. Certainly, there should still remain one for men and one for women. But, also, there should be introduced an entirely separate category for transgendered folk. In that way, all three can compete against each other, and then, also, not compete against one another (hey, if you are going to square the circle, you’ve got to do things like this).

In races with thousands and even hundreds of people, this is no problem. There are likely to be more than a few transgendered entrants. But in most states, there are often races with only a few dozen people registered for them. If there are no representatives of the transgendered community who take part in one of these, then, by definition, there is no problem. But suppose there is only one such individual. Then, that person can compete along with everyone else, and be given the first-place award for the transgendered category.

There is precedent for this sort of thing. I am an 80-year-old competitive race walker. Often, particularly in events with only dozens of competitors, I am the only one in the 80+ age category. So, I haul in the medal for that demographic. Easy-peasy, no problem.

Who says we can’t square the circle, have our cake and eat it too? We can indeed achieve both goals of offering the transgendered all the competition they can reasonably want, while not, also, destroying competition for women and girls.

All three categories, boys, girls, the transgendered, compete against each other in the pool, court, course or track, etc., and there are three types of medals.

Now let us consider high school girls’ athletic events such as swimming, tennis, golf, and track, which are for the most part individual activities, and also, team sports such as baseball, soccer, basketball and volleyball. The considerations mentioned above hold for the former category. Allow everyone to “have at it” and the “devil take the hindmost.” All three categories, boys, girls, the transgendered, compete against each other in the pool, court, course or track, etc., and there are three types of medals. For the latter category, it is by no means so easy to “cut the baby in half.” There are so few transgendered persons in high school it would be difficult to form an entire team limited to people in that demographic. If they were allowed onto a girls’ team, they would unfairly dominate. There will likely be no one solution that might, that ought to, satisfy all and sundry. What, then, to do?

Let us use Louisiana as an example. In an entire city as large as Baton Rouge or New Orleans, there might be enough students in this category to field an entire team. All of the rest of that fair state might provide us with two more complete teams. Well, then, we have four teams, and they can play against each other! And if we still do not reach a critical mass, there are neighboring states east, west and north who can fill out the roster. Where there is a will, there is a way.

 

Pegs:

Louisiana:        https://www.wwno.org/2022-05-24/louisiana-lawmakers-pass-transgender-sports-ban-again-what-are-the-odds-of-a-veto-this-time

Indiana: https://www.westernjournal.com/breaking-indianas-gop-lawmakers-strike-veto-hand-withering-defeat-trans-movement/?utm_source=Email&utm_medium=aa-breaking&utm_campaign=can&utm_content=firefly&ats_es=a9c34ed5ea5e70b523b134435569ccd0

 

 

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