Paris 2024

Let’s return to pure sport spirit. Pete will very soon wake up. :joy:

2 Likes

The problem comes when people make assertions without the necessary understanding…
In this case the understanding of human genetics and biology in general.

Human sexual differentiation is lot more complex and a lot less binary than many people assume.
46,XY usually results in male… but not always (for instance CAIS, Sawyer syndrome or 46,XY SRY-)

You do not have sufficient knowledge of biology to appropriately support your claims.

3 Likes

Agree that binary simply isn’t appropriate here - but equally neither is a physical contest between ‘equals’ where there is a substantial risk of physical harm to a 100% legitimate competitor.
I don’t know what the solution is but denying there is a problem isn’t tenable IMO…

5 Likes

The Olympics has never been about “equals” - it’s not a handicap competition.

How would you know? As far as I am aware we have never met, and you know nothing about me. I might be a Nobel Prize-winning sciemtist for all you know.

Now I admit I am no geneticist but I have a decent “lay” knowledge – good enough to be able to make judgements and if I want or need to know more I can always go to a reputable scientist or a library, rather than listen to an anonymous on the interweb. Especially if previous posts of said random demonstrate that they are ideologically-driven on this subject.

This unfortunate individual (Khelif) has been put in an invidious postion by cranks and ideological fanatics (including at the IOC) and should not be fighting against women in a dangerous contact sport such as boxing. By all means create a new category for trans or intersex people but they cannot fight against females. It is a matter of safety, and safety overrides EVERYTHING, including your ideology and your feelz. If the sight of someone who isn’t a woman (there, happy? I didn’t say man) battering a woman sits easy with you or makes you think you’re cleverer than us poor blighted mortals, then be my guest. But the IOC has a duty of care towards athletes, and it has not only failed Carini and other female contestants, but also Khelif, whose achievements will be forever mired in controversy - and if he/she wins a medal there will be a never-ending row.

On a slightly related note, I also know a reasonable amount about intersex people, as one of my best friends at secondary school in the 1970s, Ian, was intersex. Given how little was understood about that condition back in the 1970s, he did remarkably well at our all-boys grammar school and despite the pejudice he inevitably faced from certain quarters he was a happy, well-adjusted and popular young lad (he was also very good looking - androgyny was fashionable at the time). We lost touch when we were 17 when his dad (a biologist, coincidentally enough) got a job in the States. I managed to find him years later when the internet became a thing ( he has a very unusual surname) and managed to spend a day with him (and his intersex partner) last time I visited Canada. Still a great guy – and still very good-looking (the bastard).

9 Likes

We worked as a research biologist, and we ARE intersex.

The bullying is a contributor to why we developed DID (it was definitely NOT fashionable in the '60s in a very right wing conservative led school). These sort of ‘loaded’ statements you have made do a lot of damage to the intersex community.

The incorrect elements in the statements you made clearly show that you are NOT a “Nobel Prize-winning sciemtist”(sic).

1 Like

Way to go trying to deflect by picking up on a typo!

Nevertheless I will ask you – not that I’m confident of getting a straight answer – do you think the likes of Imane Khelif should be boxing against women? Because I (and I suspect, millions of others) don’t. Not because we hate Khelif particularly or trans/intersex people generally, but because it is a) unfair and b) potentially dangerous in certain sports. Now if that makes me a bigot, a nazi or just a thicko in your eyes, I don’t really care. But it would be enlightening to know what you think, and to read that you have the courage of your convictions, rather than just trying to insult or patronise me.

PS - Out of curiosity, what’s with the “we”? Are you conjoined twins or are you just regal (or think you are)?

5 Likes

Indeed it’s not. But competitions are sometimes “stratified” to make them fairer – you wouldn’t put a bantamweight boxer up against a heavyweight… or would you?

Similarly, in sports like weightlifting athletes compete in a division determined by their body mass/weight (I think there are currently five weight classes in the Olympics for both men and women). Nothing wrong with that as far as I can see. What do you think?

1 Like

“PS - Out of curiosity, what’s with the “we”? Are you conjoined twins or are you just regal (or think you are)?”
That was stated in our post - we have DID, caused by trauma, one element of which was the bullying because of being “different”.

If Imane Khelif meets the IOC’s criteria for being classed as a female (which she does), then she is entitled to compete as a female (incidentally she’s by no means unbeatable in female competitions, at the last Olympics she only placed 5th).

To put the other side of that argument, should anyone who by dint of their biology has an advantage over most other competitors also be prevented from competing, purely on that basis?

1 Like

Indeed she was competing in her specific weight category; as you say, that’s quite fair, that is how the rules work.

She’s female in the female side of the competition, and in a specific weight class that matches her weight: just as provided for in the rules of the competition.

Yep it’s about sport good to see a bit of Aussie bushing going on. It must make you guys feel so much better knowing you can beat a country with half the population. Least help drive you to exceed. :grin:

3 Likes

Excellent, that made us laugh.

1 Like

I’m going to ask you guys again can we drop this and move on. I’ve asked nicely several times and am staggered by the lack of respect. Go and start your own thread or get back to sport.

4 Likes

Waited for the proper Olympics to start with the decathlon & men’s 10,000m final tonight. Thought it would definitely be on the main BBC channel, but no, bloody bmx and all that minority garbage. Had to search iplayer and by then it was in the middle. No probs, rewound to start. What a race it was. Fantastic stuff. Oh, there was no GB entry. That’s why is it? Pathetic. Great commentary from Steve & Paula. Thank God the boring swimming is coming to an end.

Friday night on this thread is not as entertaining as last Friday night…

4 Likes

Well I was perfectly happy to let it lie and resume ribbing the Antipodeans but Xanthe started posting schitt again, some of it about me, so I felt I was within my rights to respond. If they delete their posts I’ll delete mine.

I’ve made some edits to remove some inappropriate language. I would kindly suggest we all move on and, as Pete says, “get back to the sport”.

3 Likes

I don’t care what you do I repeatedly asked you to stop and you repeatedly ignored my request. I wouldn’t treat you like that, I’ve enough to deal with without worrying about people with a complete lack of respect.

1 Like

Back to sport, this is probably the most heartwarming story to come out of the game, sorry I know it’s as Aussie.

And your lead in the medal count didn’t last long. :grin:

2 Likes

Hurry up the Closing Ceremony!

2 Likes