Post Olympics (September 2024) Articles and Social Media posts

[ArnoldRimmer]

Genuinely though, wouldn't people automatically expect someone with Simone's resources and number of endorsement deals to be getting specialist PR support in a delicate comms situation? I know she does a lot of her own social media posts generally, but this is different. She was never going to be managing this one by herself.

 

[rlayt]

Not Simone related but an interesting article about handling the trans-athlete situation: https://www.outsports.com/2025/6/4/...xQm_32Ee4K9NgBXSwh_aem_ZaNtLGelDhZBmzEj_sbksQ

 

[JaJa]

I even use a rep for my posting here.

AND YOU STILL GET IN TROUBLE!!

 

[JaJa]

Not Simone related but an interesting article about handling the trans-athlete situation: https://www.outsports.com/2025/6/4/...xQm_32Ee4K9NgBXSwh_aem_ZaNtLGelDhZBmzEj_sbksQ

Not sure I think this is the best solution. But if the majority of trans athletes think it is maybe worth a try. Also, I personally resent people assuming that anyone who has an issue with Trans Women competing athletically against Cis Women is "anti Trans" or "Trans Phobic." I am over the top liberal on LGBTQ issues. But that does not mean I think access for LGBTQ people always trumps every other justice or fundamental fairness issue.

 

[rlayt]

“In pushing for policies that often disregarded the concerns of many, trans-athlete advocates — and I would include myself in some of that — created a situation that has resulted in widespread rejection of trans women in female sports.” Direct quote from that article.

Also, “”

“Advocates for trans athletes had the upper hand. Not anymore.​

Unfortunately, trans advocates have for years relied on political power to inject definitions and perspectives of gender that have not reflected the American population, let alone the world.”

I think discussion is possible.

 

[maz-y]

Part of the problem with the separate category is that FINA offered an "open" category because they restricted the entrance of transwomen swimmers to the women's events to only if they started HRT before the age of 12. This occurred in 2023 Worlds and not one person signed up. They are open to creating this category in the future.

Part of Riley Gaines and others who have spoken out is about how the NCAA treated the situation. They went to the 2022 Nationals and NCAA had made all locker rooms "unisex" meaning anyone could use the locker room, Lia Thomas, a transgendered woman, and men, meaning any coaches, doctors, trainers, etc could enter the locker room. This was done without athlete knowledge and they didn't know until they arrived to Nationals in Washington.
Some athletes were upset by this and changed in janitor's closets and other closed off spaces.

While there is definitely some transphobia happening, I can also take the point of view of some of the women not comfortable with the locker rooms now being unisex-especially without prior knowledge. Their feelings are valid as well.


NAIGC (NCAA clubs) has a competition already with no gender categories. Woman can do parallel bars, men can do balance beam, for example. Transman Wren Exley of UCLA was named Male Gymnast of the year. I remember watching a cis man compete floor to floor music, I am sorry I can't remember his name. So such non gender competitions are possible.

Unisex locker rooms for swimmers would be awful. Swimmers “suit up” in tech suits for big meets. These suits are very tight, can take 30 mins for a woman to get into the suit. A woman can’t get into a tech suit in a bathroom stall.