Yarr! A transgender swimmer, aged 50, hath caused quite the ruckus in Canada by competin' with young'uns and sharin' a locker room!
2023-12-15
Arrr, mateys! Listen ye well, for parents be up in arms! In this fair month, at a swim meet in Canada, a 50-year-old transgender buccaneer didst compete 'gainst wee teens, and even shared a chamber o' change with 'em. Quite the spectacle, indeed!
Parents of young female athletes have expressed their concerns after a 50-year-old transgender swimmer competed in women's events and shared a locker room with children during a meet in Canada. The incident occurred at the 2023 Trojan Cup in Barrie, Ontario, where Melody Wiseheart, a transgender swimmer, participated in several events, including the women's 1500m freestyle for athletes 16 years and older. Wiseheart placed second in that event. The age range for the meet was from 8 years and younger to 16 and older. Some parents voiced their discomfort with the situation, stating that it was confusing for the children and not appropriate for an adult to compete against their kids and share a locker room with them.Swimming Canada, the governing body for competitive swimming in the country, stated that access to changing rooms is determined by facility and municipality policies in accordance with the law. They mentioned that swim meets are typically held in facilities open to the public, where minors often share change room space with adults. Swim Ontario, the provincial governing body for the sport, supported this stance and confirmed that the hosting club acted appropriately according to their policies and procedures.
World Aquatics, the international governing body for the sport, had previously updated its policy to only allow male-to-female transgender athletes who transitioned before age 12 or during the early stages of puberty to compete in women's events. Wiseheart did not respond to requests for comment.
Overall, the incident has sparked a debate about inclusivity and fairness in sports, with different governing bodies and organizations having varying policies on transgender participation.