Ban on transgender in women’s elite event: category of women, men and para athletes, not for transgender, transman had to give up skating

Recently, FINA, the world governing body of swimming, has made strict rules regarding swimmers joining the women’s category. With this, transgender swimmers will not be able to participate in the Women’s International Elite Competition. FINA has decided to create an ‘open’ category in which all types of swimmers will be able to participate. Even before this, there has been controversy regarding transgender players. Read in Pride Month, is there discrimination even in the playground with transgenders who face humiliation from family and society…

India’s first transman bodybuilder Aryan Pasha says that this is a big issue. There is no separate category in sports for transgenders. For this reason transwomen have to participate with women and transmen with men. Trans women are physically stronger than normal women, while trans men are physically weaker than normal men, because the effect of the body they had before the transition remains lifelong. Due to this, the participation of transgender in games often becomes a matter of controversy.

Had to quit skating due to protest
Aryan Pasha, India’s first transman bodybuilder, says, ‘I went from girl to boy after undergoing surgery at the age of 18. Before that i.e. when I was in school, I used to skate. At that time I used to participate from the female category. Skating up to the national level. The coach knew everything about me, so he always supported me. Others just used to make lewd comments. Sitting in the stadium, they used to shout that where are you allowing eunuchs to play in the middle of the girls. Tired of the opposition, he stopped participating.

Aryan Pasha, India’s first transman. Delhi-born Aryan Pasha studied law from Mumbai.

Why is a separate category necessary?
After becoming Aryan Transman, he has won medals in many competitions including the Muscle Mania Championship. He participates in the male category only. He appealed to several federations to include the transgender category, but none responded positively. Every time it is said that there are only one or two transgenders in sports, when there are more, then work will be done on it.

According to Aryan, transmen may take part in the male category, but their body is not like that of men. Testosterone is produced naturally in the body of those who are born men, but it is made after the operation in the body of a trans man. However, he started doing gym from the age of 16, so his muscles are strong. This doesn’t happen with everyone else. Many transmen come into sports or sports after surgery, there is a special problem, because the bone structure and muscles of transmen are not like other men. Therefore it is necessary that a separate category should be created for transgenders across the world.

Why are transgenders less in sports?
Aryan Pasha says, ‘Federation’s rules and social fear come in the way of transgenders participating in sports. If permission is obtained from the federation, then transgenders participate in sports. If you don’t get selected, you can’t play. Fina had earlier allowed transwomen to participate in the women’s category, but now banned it after continuous protests. The International Bicycle Union (UCI), the governing body of the bicycle, did the same. First allowed to play and then later tightened the rules.

Apart from this, the second reason is society. By the time transman and transwoman understand themselves properly and undergo surgery and change gender, then their age is 25 to 35 years. So what would people say? Those who change gender even thinking that the job may not go away, they are not able to participate openly.

Bodybuilder transman Aryan Pasha showing off his body while participating in a competition.

What did Fina say while stopping?
FINA has tightened the rules and banned the participation of transgender swimmers in the women’s category. FINA will always welcome every athlete, the statement said. An open category means everyone will have a chance to participate at the elite level. This hasn’t happened before, so Feena needs to lead. We want all athletes to feel the same way.

The new rule is only for big tournaments and transwomen
FINA’s new rule is only for competitions such as the World Championships, which FINA organizes itself. Where FINA decides the eligibility criteria of swimmers. This will also affect the scale of participation of transgender players in the Olympics and the world record in the women’s category. The new rule is only for transgender swimmers participating in the women’s category and not for the men’s category. However, compliance with FINA’s new rules will not be necessary at the national level or at the local level. National federations can set their own scale in their tournaments. After swimming, rugby officials have imposed similar restrictions on transgender players.
First champion swimmer transgender will not be able to take part
After this decision of FINA, swimmers like America’s Lia Thomas will not be able to participate in big events like World Championships. This year, Thomas became the first transgender woman to become a champion in swimming. Thomas was initially competing in the men’s category for three years. He did his preparation in this category.

Controversy happened during Tokyo Olympics
New Zealand’s transgender weightlifter Laurel Hubbard took part in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. Hubbard became the first transgender woman athlete to compete in Tokyo. She participated in the women’s category. Women players expressed their displeasure over this. The women players said that this is a wrong decision. It is unfair to women to allow transgenders to participate in the Olympics. This is a nasty joke.

Transgender cyclist Emily Bridges is not allowed to participate in the National Omnium Championships in England. He was declared ineligible by the world cycling governing body Union Cyclists International.

International Olympic Committee changed the rules
In 2003, the International Olympic Committee allowed transgender athletes to play in the Olympic Games. According to the 2015 guideline, transgender women were not required to state their gender, but had to have testosterone levels below 10 nanomoles per liter for a year. In the year 2021, a new framework was introduced, under which transgender athletes were given entry in the Olympics. This change was made with the aim of achieving gender equality.