Martina Navratilova Clarifies Comments on Transgender Athletes

In a new essay on her personal website, Martina Navratilova finally gets her foot out of mouth and clearly voices what many people who are not transphobic are saying about transgender athletes:

What I really wanted to do was try to open up the debate about equality and fairness in relation to transgender participation in women’s sport. There were too many voices that were silenced and shamed into submission and that is not right. My aim was to encourage a more scientific, rather than emotional, conversation and to search for a solution that would work better than current arrangements.

I was motivated by concern about the future of women’s sport and my worry that by trying to be fair and inclusive for one group, others can be adversely affected, that eliminating one kind of discrimination can inadvertently give rise to another. 

So how do we go forward? First, we all need to realize that there is no perfect solution in which nobody will ever be wronged or disadvantaged. There is no blanket rule that will solve all issues. The objective must be to find policies that make women’s sport as inclusive and fair as practically possible. After all, if everyone were included, women’s sports as we know them would cease to exist. Therefore, any sensible policy must have some exclusions. But which ones? Where do you start and where do you end? Should different sports have different rules governing participation? Should recreational sport be subject to the same rules and standards as professional or Olympic competition? Should there be different rules for high-school sports, different rules for colleges etc? 

Here's hoping this can reset the dialogue and be the beginning of a fruitful discussion on the topic. Read her full piece HERE.

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