The American National Collegiate Athletic Association Supports Transgender Athletes (and that means more than you might think)
I know that it easy to get seriously depressed because of the intense anti-trans activism in the USA right now. It is important to keep in mind that that is their goal: To tire good people, so that they stop protesting against the bigotry.
Keep in mind, though, that all this anti-trans activism is a sign of desperation. Deeply conservative traditionalists see this as their last chance from stopping this world from becoming a place were all kinds of people can thrive, including those who do not live up to the stereotypes of this particular section of white, cis and straight middel class America.
They are desperate, because they see that the majority of Americans are increasingly in support of an open and inclusive society.
All the Republican anti-trans laws will be challenged in court. Voters will notice. Companies will protest. Many organisations are already making their voice heard.
The very influential National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is now openly supporting trans athletes.
In a press release they write:
The NCAA has a long-standing policy that provides a more inclusive path for transgender participation in college sports.
Our approach — which requires testosterone suppression treatment for transgender women to compete in women’s sports — embraces the evolving science on this issue and is anchored in participation policies of both the International Olympic Committee and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee.
Inclusion and fairness can coexist for all student-athletes, including transgender athletes, at all levels of sport. Our clear expectation as the Association’s top governing body is that all student-athletes will be treated with dignity and respect. We are committed to ensuring that NCAA championships are open for all who earn the right to compete in them.
I am sure we can discuss the hormone policies of the Olympic committees, but all in all this represents substantial support for transgender athletes.
But that is not the most important part. What really scares transphobic politicians around America is the following:
When determining where championships are held, NCAA policy directs that only locations where hosts can commit to providing an environment that is safe, healthy and free of discrimination should be selected.
NCAA threatens to move important sports event from transphobic states.
The position seems likely to threaten the hopes of the University of Arkansas to host regional NCAA tournaments in both baseball and softball (played by women). Most of the angry reaction among Hog fans has been about men’s baseball, where the Razorbacks are national champion contenders. But Arkansas’s legislature has enacted one ban on transgender women, with another nearing completion, along with a host of other bills targeting transgender men and women, including allowing school staff not to be punished for refusing to refer to such students by their gender.
What goes around comes around.
Originally published at https://trans-express.lgbt.
