The national governing body for Olympic boxing announced brand new rules for 2024, allowing women born as men to compete against women who were born as women and have not had the benefit of going through male puberty.
If you were born a dude but now think you’re a lady, in order to box real ladies you need to meet the following requirements:
- Declare your gender identity as female
- Have undergone gender reassignment surgery
- Have done hormone testing for a minimum of four years after such procedures
- Have met testosterone limits set by USA Boxing
- Anyone under the age of 18 MUST compete against the gender they were born in
If we’re being charitable — it’s New Year’s Eve, should auld acquaintance be… you know, the thing — they aren’t the worst rules. You can’t compete against girls unless you commit to the gimmick and have your balls chopped off. That’s… something.
You also need to identify as female and be of legal age. So the schtick of being a MID male competitor as a junior and deciding during summer break you’re going to be a female your senior year and crush the hopes and dreams of girls who worked their entire lives towards this… stick to high school track if that’s you. Or swimming.
At the end of the day, these are adults making decisions as adults. And it’s up to the adult FEMALES to decide they are okay with having to trade punches with men. Yes, even those who have committed to the gimmick and no longer have weiners.
Maybe you, as someone who was born a woman, think having a functioning orbital bone is a small price to pay in the name of inclusion and gay sh*t like equity. That’s a choice.
Other women have made the beautiful and brave choice not to risk permanent damage so another competitor can live their best delusions. In Canada this year, Katia Bissonnette was set to fight in the 2023 Provincial Golden Glove Championship. Then she discovered her Australian-born opponent a) was a dude and b) would have been forced to fight as a dude in Australia. So Bissonnette was forced to pull out.
There are two sides to every argument. One side believes when you have the hormonal profile and capabilities of a man, plus ligaments, bone density, and overall musculature that has been built over a lifetime of being a man, it gives you eleventy different advantages over girls in fighting. And that trans or not, a guy fighting a girl isn’t a competition. It’s an assault.
The other side believes derpity derp, you’re a transphobe.
