Right-wing conservatives and those who identify as "gender critical" are up in arms after World Eightball Pool Federation allows trans women to participate.
Of all the balderdash bans we’ve been subjected to, the chess ban is the worst. The misogynistic assumption that there’s somehow a purely mental/strategy advantage to being born male throws into stark relief how far we have yet to advance gender equality. Whether the feminists advocating for this sort of progress are TERFs or not, the stratification of genders in that way is an affront to the progress we’ve made as women, as society, on these issues for the last ~century.
Erin - thanks (as always) for the excellent reporting.
The issue here, of course, is not that conservatives really think that trans women are better at pool. The issue is hatred, bigotry, and the desire to eliminate trans people from all aspects of public life. Athletic and competition bans are just a first - and seemingly more palatable to the public - step in that direction. What they really want is much worse, and that’s why it’s so frightening and why these bans need to be strongly resisted.
People are claiming trans athletes have an "unfair biological advantage", but see, here's the thing: athletes in general have an "unfair biological advantage". Otherwise, they wouldn't be competitive. Also, in M->F transitions, muscle mass is lost, so there's no unfair advantage. The fact that this "unfair advantage" talking point is being extended to Chess and Pool shows that it was never about any "unfair biological advantage" and it was entirely about transmisia.
No one? No one’s gonna make the obvious joke? I’m gonna have to be the one? Darn.
The reason we’re banned is because we’re quite used to making a 4-6” gripping and sliding motion at waist level, and that’s 2-4” longer than what the ruling body has to do at home so they’re taking out their own problems on us. Still gives us an edge lol
That being said, HOW SAD IS YOUR LIFE THAT YOU GET PISSED AT LOSING AT POOL.
My condolences. My sister lives in Miami but she’s looking to get married in Brooklyn. (FTR, she’s cis and her fiancé is cis as well, but she’s bi and is looking to leave Florida since DerFührer ruined the state for queer people like her)
Jeez, god, that is so horrible that you’re treated that way. It really infuriates me that DerFührer turned Florida from a place where *sone* queer people could live to a place where people like us are shunned and treated as sex pests. It really grinds my gears.
Of all the balderdash bans we’ve been subjected to, the chess ban is the worst. The misogynistic assumption that there’s somehow a purely mental/strategy advantage to being born male throws into stark relief how far we have yet to advance gender equality. Whether the feminists advocating for this sort of progress are TERFs or not, the stratification of genders in that way is an affront to the progress we’ve made as women, as society, on these issues for the last ~century.
Erin - thanks (as always) for the excellent reporting.
The issue here, of course, is not that conservatives really think that trans women are better at pool. The issue is hatred, bigotry, and the desire to eliminate trans people from all aspects of public life. Athletic and competition bans are just a first - and seemingly more palatable to the public - step in that direction. What they really want is much worse, and that’s why it’s so frightening and why these bans need to be strongly resisted.
You are spot on when you wrote...The issue is hatred, bigotry, and the desire to eliminate trans people from all aspects of public life.
What's next? A loser in the World Miming Competition complains of trans women's innate miming advantages 🤷♀️
People are claiming trans athletes have an "unfair biological advantage", but see, here's the thing: athletes in general have an "unfair biological advantage". Otherwise, they wouldn't be competitive. Also, in M->F transitions, muscle mass is lost, so there's no unfair advantage. The fact that this "unfair advantage" talking point is being extended to Chess and Pool shows that it was never about any "unfair biological advantage" and it was entirely about transmisia.
Thank you, Erin. We’re so grateful to you for your work.
Unfairly dominating pool and chess? Is there anything trans people can’t do? Oh right, we can’t feel comfortable and safe like cis people do
There are few groups as sexist as GCs (formerly known as TERFs)
No one? No one’s gonna make the obvious joke? I’m gonna have to be the one? Darn.
The reason we’re banned is because we’re quite used to making a 4-6” gripping and sliding motion at waist level, and that’s 2-4” longer than what the ruling body has to do at home so they’re taking out their own problems on us. Still gives us an edge lol
That being said, HOW SAD IS YOUR LIFE THAT YOU GET PISSED AT LOSING AT POOL.
I wish you were joking too. 😢
My condolences. My sister lives in Miami but she’s looking to get married in Brooklyn. (FTR, she’s cis and her fiancé is cis as well, but she’s bi and is looking to leave Florida since DerFührer ruined the state for queer people like her)
Jeez, god, that is so horrible that you’re treated that way. It really infuriates me that DerFührer turned Florida from a place where *sone* queer people could live to a place where people like us are shunned and treated as sex pests. It really grinds my gears.