Life

Trans Olympian Caitlyn Jenner doubles down on opposition to trans women in sports

Caitlyn Jenner
Caitlyn Jenner Photo: Shutterstock

Caitlyn Jenner, the former Olympic medalist who has played competitive women’s golf, is once again speaking out against her fellow transgender athletes.

In an interview with the UK’s Daily Mail, Jenner reacted to the recent Sports Illustrated interview with transgender college swimmer Lia Thomas.

Related link: Caitlyn Jenner retweets former Trump staffer’s vicious anti-trans slam on college athletes

“I don’t think biological boys should compete in women’s sports — we have to protect women’s sports…. That’s the bottom line,” Jenner said. “I don’t see how you can be happy beating other girls under these circumstances. You have to have a sense of personal responsibility. You can still enjoy sports but not play at a competitive level, right?”

Jenner offered her experience with golf as an example:

Here’s an example: I play golf and, seven years after my transition, I still have a big advantage over women players. I’m 6ft 1in. I have longer arms than the ladies and I can outdrive them by a hundred yards. Even being off testosterone and on estrogen for seven years now, what I’ve got left over is still more than they’ve ever had. So, it wouldn’t be fair.

Despite Jenner’s assertion that she has declined invitations to compete against women and that she would have an advantage, she played in the 2016 women’s Pro-Am ANA Inspiration golf tournament at the Mission Hills Country Club, according to the New York Daily News.

Nonetheless, Jenner described those advocating for transgender athletes as a “fringe element,” and boasted about the reach of her online platform.

“There’s a fringe element of the trans community that has a big voice, and their mission is to shut down all other opinions. I have a large platform, so nobody’s going to shut me up. We can’t bow down to the woke people who want to change the world,” she said.

She also spoke out against “cancel culture,” criticizing the recent Brit Music awards for moving to gender neutral award categories.

“That’s cancel culture at its worst. Why does everything have to be gender neutral — why can’t we just leave things alone? Things are getting out of control. There are all these different genders. It’s too complicated and it’s taking over the world,” Jenner said, seeming to endorse gender transition only if it adheres to a binary view of sex. “I went through a change, and I have no problem being referred to as a trans woman and using all the female pronouns. You can be a variation, and that’s fine, but the bottom line is there’s male and female, right?”

Jenner’s opposition to transgender athletes is not new, and was one of the key platforms in her campaign for California governor. She also spoke out recently on Twitter about the need to “protect women’s sports.”

Don't forget to share:

Support vital LGBTQ+ journalism

Reader contributions help keep LGBTQ Nation free, so that queer people get the news they need, with stories that mainstream media often leaves out. Can you contribute today?

Cancel anytime · Proudly LGBTQ+ owned and operated

This week on LGBTQ Twitter: Everybody says gay & Wonder Woman embraces her trans sisters

Previous article

A GOP measure blocking cannabis sales in D.C. is the party’s vision for the future

Next article