Would the original gender of a transsexual olympian give them benefits not available to other competitors? For example, men have stronger muscles, and probably less body fat. Women appear more flexible.

OK honi, shed some light on this! I must be way out of the loop! You mean that competitors can be banned by using altering drugs, but welcomed with open arms if they alter their bodies?

I'm lost.

Yes Tree, that seems to be the case. The article below is what made me ask the question.

here

Let's see. How can I put this delicately?

Transgendered individuals, those who are opting for the full conversion, undergo several years of hormone replacement, in the case of males this would be an increase of estrogen which leads to less muscle mass, more body fat, a loss of facial hair and other "womanizing" traits.

In the case of a woman she would be given testosterone which leads to increased muscle mass, less body fat, hair growth and even a lowering of the voice (The voice can be lowered through hormone treatment, but it can not really be lifted up that way, male to female transgendered under go voice lessons to add light and raise the pitch of their voice).

In the case of the use of steroids, this is to give the individual an unfair advantage.

The specification for the acceptance of transgendered individuals as pointed out by the New article clearly shows that they are looking at this as not a Cross-dresser competing, but a full changed post operative transgendered individual who has been under doctors care and has had any gender based advantaged removed through hormone therapy.

The difference between illegal steroid use and transgendered hormone therapy are that one is attempting to achive more muscle mass while the other is attempting to achive a new gender with the right porportion of muscle/fat/etc.
David

Thanks David, that sounds okay, but it would always be a question whether they got the right amount of hormones, or not. It would only seem fair for a competitor to ponder this.

Are there many transsexuals in the Olympics?

Oh wait, nevermind, there's a link.

Note to self: remember to fully read threads before posting.

Nope, I'm a mere human surviving in this weird human world and I think that it's just WRONG!

What the %$#@!! Are we trying to clone? Has Hitler been reincarnated?

I take it Tree that you are comfortable with being the gender yo are and that you do not feel like God made a big mistake in the womb with you.

There are those who feel that God cheated them and gave them the wrong gender.

Being transgendered is not a hitler-like Superman plan to take over the species with clones.

In truth I am all for the hitler-like dream of a perfect species. Controlled breeding being part of the program, meaning that those with genetic flaws would not be allowed to have children. I am one of those people and I know and understand that my child would run a high risk of having the self same flaw of body that I have, therefore I see it as only right and proper to NOT pass on that genetic flaw. That flaw btw is homosexuality.

I also see a need for us to stay away from cloning, however my notion is based on the fact that I know that some human or group of humans will abuse that power.

I also see a perfect world where we as individuals control our numbers by not having children. These are all hilter-like notions which are not taken to the extreme of racism and national pride with the need to slaughter off those races who do not match.

We need to get rid of about 5 billion people. I don't think we need to resort to death camps at this time. But a worldwide edict which forbids the majority from breeding is needed. After my generation dies off through natural causes and old age, the population should be down to about a billion. Then controled breeding to maintain those numbers is needed.

Transgendered individuals are not clones, are not a threat to normalacy - what ever NORMAL means, and is nothing approaching Hilter's Dream of a Super Race.

Hitler's Dream was to bred the Aryan race and kill off all others, no blacks, asians, jews, celts, latinos, etc, etc, etc. Hitler's Dream also included death camps and mass extermination programs designed to remove those who were alive at that time. Transgendered would have been considered as homosexual and would have been killed right along side of the Jew, black, Asian, yada, yada, yada. See hitler was a homophobe.

Trangendered folk are merely human beings doing their best to survive in this weird human world, much like you I imagine.

David

Transgender Olympians

Some Links to Stella Walsh (nee Stanislawa Walasiewiczowna), who was discovered to have both male and female organs when she was shot and killed in 1980.

Stella

USA Track & Field Hall of Fame


Records Held
World Record: 60 m - 7.30
World Record: 100 m - 11.60 (August 1, 1937 - )
World Record: 200 m - 23.60 (August 4, 1935 - )
World Record: 220 yd. - 24.30


Championships
1932 Olympics: Discus Throw (6th)
1932 Olympics: 100 m (1st)
1936 Olympics: 100 m (2nd)
1938 European Championships: 100 m (1st)
1938 Europen Championships: 200 m (1st)