Compete as male, female.. or at all??

“Whadya think?? Female (who used to be male) is competing and kicking ass in mountain biking competition.

The other rides rebel.

The story from Outside Magazine online:


Transgender Mountain Biker Stirs Controversy

Compiled by Outside Online

August 14, 2002 Michelle Dumaresq is a hot topic among members of the Canadian mountain-biking community. The 32-year-old downhill racer has had two wins and two second place finishes in the six professional races she's competed in this season—including the three-minute Canada Cup race on June 26, in which Dumaresq flew across the finish line a whopping 20 seconds before the next-fastest competitor. She has just qualified to represent Canada at this month's World Mountain Biking Championships in Kaprun, Austria. However, many downhill enthusiasts—including two of Dumaresq's Canadian Women's Downhill teammates, Sylvie Allen and Cassandra Boon—hope to see her banned from competing in the women's downhill division, because Dumaresq used to be a man.

Up until six years ago, when she underwent surgery, intensive hormone therapy, and a legal identity change, Dumaresq's first name was Michael, and she was a man, who stood six feet tall and weighed over 200 pounds.

Those who oppose Dumaresq's decision to compete believe that her strength and muscle mass can be attributed to the possession of a Y-chromosome, which gives her an unfair advantage over naturally born female competitors. "An athlete's potential in sport is not dictated by her legal status, but by her genes," wrote one columnist in Canada's National Post, "Men are bigger, stronger and faster than women. They also have bigger bones, lungs and hearts—all useful attributes when you're careening down a muddy bike course at 60 km/h."

Dumaresq argues that her regimen of hormone therapy has all but eliminated testosterone from her body, that her muscle mass has decreased significantly since her sex change, and that her legal status as a woman gives her the right to compete in women's sporting events. Dumaresq told Canadian reporters last week that no one had ever contested her right to compete in women's events until this year—when she began winning. "Until then, no one said boo," she was quoted as saying. "I guess now they feel a bit threatened. [But] I have seen my strength decrease and I don't think the same. I don't believe I have an advantage. If I did, my conscience wouldn't let me do this."

Dr. James Cantor, a psychologist at the University of Toronto's Gender Identity Clinic, told the Ottawa Citizen this week that if gender is based on hormonal status, then Dumaresq is, indeed, a woman. "If you took a blood sample to measure the levels of sex hormones in a post-operative transsexual, that person would resemble a woman, not a man," Cantor explained. The doctor declined to give the Citizenan opinion, however, on whether an athlete who is genetically male but hormonally female should be allowed to compete in women's sporting events. "Hormone therapy does reduce, if not practically eliminate, the amount of testosterone in the blood, but it's unknown how this affects athletic performance," he said. "It just hasn't been studied. Until we really have the science to say one way or the other, it's anybody's guess. One can reasonably argue either position."

Dumaresq's detractors, such as Canadian downhill champion Sylvie Allen, say that Dumaresq should have to compete in a new "transgender" racing category, instead of racing against women—even though Dumaresq might be the only competitor in this division. "Amongst those of us who have cycled with her," Allen wrote in a protest letter to the International Cycling Union, "we are very impressed by [Dumaresq's] strength, endurance, speed and skill—all quite good as a man, but too suspiciously impressive as a woman."

Although the issue is far from resolved, it looks as though Dumaresq will be allowed to compete in the World Championships, held from August 25 to September 1.

Pierre Hutsebaut, executive director of the Canadian Cycling Association, said in a recent press conference that Dumaresq has met the qualifying criteria to be on Canada's team at the this month's competition, and any move to prevent her from competing could result in legal action.

"She is legally a woman," Hutsebaut said. "We cannot discriminate. She passed all standards, was nominated to the team, and she will compete at the world championships."”

“Can't help but think that Andy Kauffman could have helped answer that one!”

“I think all those bikers who wear those flambouyant multi-colored skin-tight biking suits are slightly gender bending, regardless if they are a man or a woman!

I wonder if her current bike has a crossbar?”

“Where teh heck do you find these articles? LMAO”

“The operation where a woman is turned into a man is pronounced

add-a-dick-to-me.”

“Boy, the things some men will do to get into the woman's shower room.”

“Remember the tennis racquet Renee Richards endorsed? It was just like a regular racquet, except somebody sawed the handle off.”

“Didn't John Bobbit get a job as a spokesman for Snap-On Tools?”

“Let them compete in the "we don't know" category. .”

“I actually met Renee Richards once.

What a dickless #&%!$ she was.”

“bacpac, there's goes all your "good ex-husband" karma. POOF!

(did you take Renee Richards out to dinner by accident??)”

“Dough!?!”

“Nah, that was Billy Jean King.”

“Better Living Through Hardware?”

“Strap on a Snap-On, baby!”

“Well I suppose its better then wasting a whole evening on a date with "her" only to find out the hard way that she is still a he.

budder whats wrong with cyclists? You have a problem with spandex?”

“The hard way?”

“yes tilt thats what I meant.”

“Hey, dom, is this what you meant?
http://apps.nightsurf.com/~wsapi/nsredir.dll?recid=56&aff=T&dealcode=msn









VBG”

“The guy was obviuosly confused, which is why he'll/she'll make the perfect female, d!ck or no d!ck. Let her/him run with the babes.”

“I didnt exactly explore the possibilities as I was young naive , drunk and rather shocked to give the matter any thought other then which way is the door!”

“gordon...
"Nah, that was Billy Jean King."
Father Goose
12:27:04 AM
08/17/02

Wasn't Billy Jean King kicked out of some tennis tournament in Holland? She got caught putting her finger in a dike.

Or was it a dyke?”

“She/he is fLIcked up in the head.”