The recent winning of gold by a transgender sportsperson in the women’s weight-lifting category has sparked a serious debate with Piers Morgan’s remarks. The UK broadcaster slammed the win, stating the participation of the transgender in the female athlete category as unfair for the women athletes. The controversy started after the transgender athlete Laurel Hubbard won a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics qualifier. According to Piers Morgan, the field of women sports is suffering massively, due to the participation of transgender athletes. He believes that transgenders should not be allowed to compete in the women’s category, as it butchers the basic rights of fairness and equality for political correctness.
Piers Morgan made these comments just after Laurel Hubbard won the gold qualifier and was one step close to accomplishing her Olympic dreams. Laurel Hubbard was a man till the age of 30 and also competed in weightlifting as a man. But, at the age of 30, he underwent a sex-change operation and became a woman. She is now looking forward to competing in the Olympics in the super-lifting category. Piers Morgan questioned and argued the acceptance and admission of Laurel Hubbard in the women category, as it is a huge disadvantage for the women competing in the competition. He stated that Trans women have the massive physical strength of a man, which is a huge drawback for women in any sports.
The physical strength of both of them will never be equal. In any sport, the role of strength and power is humongous, thus, it is not fair for the women competing in the competition. Piers Morgan’s comment has resulted in controversy, making it a contentious claim, which it should not be. The difference is obvious and the approach is unjust as per Morgan. The participation of transgender athletes in the Olympics commenced since 2016, where they have to fulfill certain targets, along with keeping their testosterone levels to the minimum. The transgender athletes do not have to undergo a sex change operation too, to qualify for the sport. What Morgan tried highlighting was the fact that transgender women, especially those who had undergone puberty as a male, had a definite unfair genetic advantage.
They are bound to have more physical strength which is unfair to other women athletes. Earlier a similar comment was made by Tamsyn Lewis, an Australian Olympian as well. Lewis had stated that transgender women should not be allowed to compete against women athletes as there are “too many unknowns”. A transgender born as a male has a completely different bone structure, which will stay the same and cannot match the body structure of a woman.
The upper body strength of the transgender will any day be more, as they have a higher lung capacity, along with a stronger heart. There is no doubt a section of people are opposing the comment made by Piers Morgan, stating that the competition level is improving for the women, with the participation of transgenders. Morgan is receiving a lot of flak from the transgender supporters on social networking sites.
Many are asking him to move and stopping being transphobic. While it remains to be seen where this issue will rest, it has certainly raked a massive argument. People are now evaluating the fairness of implementing a politically correct move, which might benefit the transgender people, but may end up being unfair to another gender, as power and strength are two major factors in sports.
