Of course, Caitlyn Jenner thinks ban on trans swimmers is ‘fair’
Caitlyn Jenner says ‘deeply discriminatory’ ban on elite trans swimmers is ‘fair’ (Phillip Faraone/WireImage)
Caitlyn Jenner has welcomed a ban on trans women in elite swimming labelled elsewhere as “deeply discriminatory”.
The former Olympian-turned-right-wing commentator reacted to the news that swimming’s world governing body FINA (International Swimming Federation) has voted to effectively ban trans women from competing in women’s elite races.
Transgender athletes must now have “not experienced male puberty” after the age of 12, or “beyond Tanner Stage 2 [of puberty]” in order to be able to compete in women’s swimming competitions.
The new policy, which will include Olympic events, states that trans women will instead be able to compete in a separate “open category”.
Since losing her bid to become governor of California, Caitlyn Jenner has spent much of her time campaigning for trans women to be excluded from women’s sports on the basis of purported “fairness”.
She welcomed the decision by FINA, tweeting:”What’s fair is fair! If you go through male puberty you should not be able to take medals away from females. Period.”
Jenner continued on Twitter: “Thanks to all of you that stood with me as I talked about what should be obvious (not anti-LGBT but common sense). I am glad the international athletics community is speaking out.
“I will continue to speak out, act and advocate, for women in sports.”
It worked! I took a lot of heat – but what’s fair is fair! If you go through male puberty you should not be able to take medals away from females. Period. https://t.co/qqZq7gnt6g
— Caitlyn Jenner (@Caitlyn_Jenner) June 19, 2022
Caitlyn Jenner previously voiced her disagreement with trans women competing in women’s sports, weighing in on the debate surrounding swimmer Lia Thomas.
Thomas’ success in collegiate swimming sparked widespread backlash which eventually led to FINA upending its trans inclusion policy.
In an interview with the Daily Mail, Jenner said: “I respect [Lia’s] right to transition and I hope she has a wonderful, wonderful life. But she grew up as a biological boy and I don’t think it’s fair that she’s competing in women’s sports.”
She added: “I don’t think biological boys should compete in women’s sports – we have to protect women’s sports… that’s the bottom line.
“I don’t see how you can be happy beating other girls under these circumstances. You have to have a sense of personal responsibility.
“You can still enjoy sports but not play at a competitive level, right?”
Several trans athletes have spoken against FINA’s ban on trans swimmers, with athlete Chris Mosier calling it “outrageous and completely unrealistic”.
Mosier, who in 2020 became the first out trans athlete to complete an Olympics trial in their true gender, said: “To require transgender athletes to ‘complete’ a medical transition by age 12 – particularly when it is increasingly difficult and in some ways nearly impossible to get gender-affirming care – is outrageous and completely unrealistic.”
The pro-LGBTQ+ group Athlete Ally called the new rules “deeply discriminatory, harmful, unscientific and not in line with the 2021 International Olympic Committee framework on Fairness, Inclusion and Non-Discrimination on the Basis of Gender Identity and Sex Variations”.
