A new kind of fight is brewing in the boxing world.
USA Boxing, the governing body of the sport in the United States, is being slammed for its “pathetic and disgusting” new transgender policy that allows biological men to compete against biological women.
Under the new policy, included in the 2024 rule book, male boxers who transition can compete in the female category so long as they meet certain criteria.
Those under the age of 18 are still required to compete as their birth gender, but adults can choose their category as long as they state their new gender identity and fully complete gender reassignment surgery.
Transgender athletes must also participate in regular hormone testing.
Boxers who transitioned into women are required under the new policy to have testosterone levels under five nanomoles per liter for three years prior to their first competition in the “female” category, and their total testosterone levels must be below five nmol/L throughout their period of eligibility.
Those competing as men, meanwhile, must show levels about 10 nmol/L for the same period.
USA Boxing, the governing body of the sport in the United States, adopted a new transgender policy that allows biological men to compete against biological women. Getty Images
“The purpose of this policy is to provide fairness and safety for all boxers,” USA Boxing says in its new policy.
But critics say it is dangerous for the biological females that the transgender women will be competing against.
“USA Boxing wants to get women killed,” Jenna Ellis, a constitutional lawyer and former senior legal advisor to Trump, posted on X.
Riley Gaines, a former NCAA swimmer who has made a name for herself speaking out against transgender female athletes competing against male athletes, echoed this sentiment, writing: “Mark my words, it will take a woman getting killed before these misogynistic fools wake up.”
Jenna Ellis, a constitutional lawyer and former senior legal advisor to Trump, said the new policy will get women killed.
Conservative firebrand Rep. Lauren Boebert went as far as to claim that the new policy lets men “beat women up in a boxing ring.”
Collin Rugg, a conservative political commentator, also joked that “South Park was right again,” as he shared a GIF of an episode in which Randy Savage claims to be a transgender boxer and starts fighting women.
“Clown world,” he wrote.
Conservative firebrand Rep. Lauren Boebert even went as far as to claim that the new policy lets men “beat women up in a boxing ring.
“Let’s call this what it is. They’re going to allow men to beat women up in a boxing ring,” she wrote. “This is pathetic and disgusting.”
Boxers who transitioned into women are required under the new policy to have testosterone levels under five nanomoles per liter for three years prior to their first competition in the “female” category. Getty Images
Female boxers have also spoken out against the new policy, with MMA fighter Claressa Shields saying: “This is idk… Not the right decision.”
Others noted that hormone therapy is otherwise banned in the sport.
“By default, this should make trans athletes ineligible for competition. Period,” professional boxer Mikaela Mayer wrote on X.
“Doesn’t matter how you feel about the situation, fact is, it’s illegal and completely disrupts the even playing field that sport works so hard to create.”
Ebanie Bridges, the bantamweight world titleholder, said the policy has no place in the world of boxing.
Ebanie Bridges, the bantamweight world titleholder, also said the policy has no place in the world of boxing.
“I don’t care about ‘political correctness,’” she wrote. “It’s politically incorrect to have a man fighting a woman… and [I don’t care] that’s exactly what this is… this society is too soft… This is our health and safety.
“The girls need to stick together or women’s sports in 50 years will be filled with male-born champions.”
She added in a follow-up post: “It’s bad enough having trans women breaking records in other sports like track and field, swimming and powerlifting but it’s a bit different to them breaking our skulls in combat sports where the aim is to HURT YOU, not just break a record.
“It ain’t just about the test levels, what about their bone density and a heap of other biological factors.
“Cutting ur bits off and adding boobs won’t take back the masculine maturity your body has gone thru before you decided u are now a woman. #ISaidWhatISaid.”
Source link: https://nypost.com/2024/01/02/news/usa-boxing-slammed-for-new-transgender-policy/