Prime Minister Boris Johnson says it’s reasonable not to allow transgender women to compete in female sporting events and there ought to be female-only areas.
He spoke as his country looked set to abandon plans to hold a conference that would promote LGBT+ rights globally.
Biological males shouldn’t compete in female-only sporting events, Mr. Johnson said. “Maybe that’s controversial, but it just makes sense to me,” he said.
As far as my thinking goes, women should have their own areas devoted exclusively to them, whether it be in hospitals, prisons, or changing rooms. That’s as far as I’ve gotten on this issue. That might put me at odds with others, so we have to negotiate it all out. However, I am extremely sympathetic to people who want to change gender, as well as to those who are transitioning and it is important that we give them all the love and support they deserve when they make that decision, Boris Johnson added.
In sports, transgender rights have become a hot topic as they strive to achieve a balance that ensures inclusivity and fairness.
UCI ruled transgender cyclist Emily Bridges ineligible for the National Omnium Championships last week. Bridges had been cleared for participation by British Cycling as part of their “transgender and non-binary participation policy”.
Laurel Hubbard, a weightlifter from New Zealand, became the first transgender athlete to compete in the Olympics in Tokyo.
IOC guidelines updated in November last year state that no athlete should be disqualified because of a perceived unfair advantage as a result of their gender.
