Wednesday, March 22, 2017

"Transgender weightlifter sparks criticism after competition win"

Via Twitter:  A Kiwi weightlifter has made history as the first transgender athlete to represent New Zealand and come away with a win, however the victory has been slammed by other competitors.

Laurel Hubbard, 39, won the women's over 90kg division at the Australian International competition in Melbourne on Sunday, but the win has caused a stir with some believing she had an unfair advantage.

Her combined total of 268kg was nearly 20kg better than Samoan runner-up Iuniarra Sipaia, with another 20kg back to the next lifter in the field.

The performance puts Hubbard in line for selection at the 2017 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast.

While her eligibility passed the International Olympic Committee's criteria, Hubbard's win was met with criticism from Australian competitors who believe a transgender athlete in the female weightlifting category was not an equal playing field.

Hubbard was born the son of former Auckland mayor Dick Hubbard and has previously competed at a national level in men's weightlifting as Gavin Hubbard.

She transitioned in her mid-30s and recent improvements have lifted her to a lofty women's ranking.

(Link to the story)

8 comments:

Leland said...

Big deal. Kaitlyn Jenner won the men's decathlon in the Olympics back in 1984. Woman can compete in men's events if they wanted.

Leland said...

Oops. Caitlyn. Needed a C because wouldn't want to be another K.

ricpic said...

I thought Samoan men and women were interchangeable?

edutcher said...

"the win has caused a stir with some believing she had an unfair advantage."

Considering it still has a man's muscle structure, I'd say so.

Tell me again how women are the equal of men.

bagoh20 said...

The gender benders are determined to prove that the ultimate woman is really just a man, while simultaneously believing men are like bicycles for a fish. How insulting to women.

It's like people who insist that voter ID laws are unfair to Blacks. If I was black, that would really piss me off. It's usually the same people who insult both blacks and women: the compassionate tolerant leftist is a elitist dick.

Chip Ahoy said...

Unicycle!

Fish ride unicycles, not bicycles, because that's ridiculous.

Here, look at this shower curtain for details. The fish doesn't use a unicycle seat, it just stabs itself with the seat post and that's how the fish stays on better.

Eric the Fruit Bat said...

Gee, if stuff like this keeps happening, women's weightlifting is going to lose all its glamour.

Methadras said...

It's all such a diabolical joke isn't it. The world has gone fruit batshit crazy.