The Right-Wing Campaign to Purge Women From Women’s Sports
Introduction:
The far right and gender fascists often target trans people, particularly in the realm of women’s and girls’ sports. However, the recent case of Imane Khelif, a cis woman boxer from Algeria, being attacked by right-wing extremists reveals the flawed and racist nature of their gender ideology.
Attacks on Khelif:
Right-wing figures like Donald Trump, J.D. Vance, Elon Musk, and J.K. Rowling have been hurling vitriol at Khelif following her victory over an Italian opponent in an Olympic match. These attacks highlight the right’s obsession with strict gender binaries, despite social, biological, and medical realities.
Discriminatory treatment of female athletes:
The attacks on Khelif and previous cases like South African runner Caster Semenya expose the intellectual and racist flaws of the right’s gender ideology. By pointing out these flaws, we can challenge the legitimacy of Republican and trans-exclusionary positions on gender.
Misinformation in the media:
The New York Post published multiple articles criticizing Khelif’s win as the result of allowing “biological men” to compete in women’s sports. This misinformation spread across social media, with thousands of posts unfairly labeling Khelif as male. It is crucial to recognize that high testosterone levels and chromosomal variations do not determine a person’s gender.
Incoherence of the right’s gender ideology:
The right’s insistence on defining women based on biology is contradicted by the fact that chromosomal or hormonal variations are often only discovered through sports testing. These tests do not accurately determine a person’s sex, as sex is a complex combination of multiple characteristics and determinations.
Challenging the right’s ideology:
If sex testing were more widespread, Republicans would realize that biology does not support their exclusionary stance. People with chromosomal variations outside the XX, XY binary are more common than identical twins, occurring in approximately 1 in 100 individuals. Scientists have long argued that drawing a definitive line between male and female in sports is futile.
Exclusion of athletes of color:
Sports governing bodies have subjected successful Black athletes to invasive testing, violating their privacy and dignity. This discriminatory practice disproportionately affects women of color from the Global South. Strict gender conformity goes beyond targeting trans and queer communities; it is rooted in historically colonialist and white supremacist ideals.
The far right’s true motives:
The far right’s interest in biological sciences and protecting women’s sports is questionable. If fair competition were the concern, Khelif’s previous losses to other women fighters would undermine claims of her unfair advantage. The outrage against her victory exposes the illogical and intellectually flawed nature of the right’s gender ideology.
Conclusion:
The misogynistic and racist policing of bodies in women’s sports deserves our contempt and fierce opposition. Challenging the right’s flawed gender ideology requires not just scientific arguments but also a commitment to dismantling oppressive systems and fighting for equality.
