Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby (Post 1948406)

I don't see why not. Any sport can be divided by something OTHER than gender. If females have a lower capacity for brute strength, then you can have a "lower strength" league. Like you have bantam-weight and lightweight fighting matches. You wouldn't pit a heavyweight fighter with a bantam-weight fighter. Why not? They're all male aren't they? So why aren't they all fighting each other? Because it wouldn't be much of a fight. Because the fights are matched based on weight, not on gender.

But I'll bet if you chose to select teams based on ability, rather than gender, you'd come up with a decent mix of people. And sure - one set of teams might end up being all men. But it wouldn't be required that their gender be male. It would simply be the natural result of selecting by ability. They'd compete against each other NOT because they're men, but because they all fit within a certain standard of ability. And if it just so happens that you get a woman, or a transgender, or a hermaphrodite, or someone who claims no gender at all, who is able to bat home runs better than Hank Aaron, well then you should be grateful she/they/he is in your league and not be too concerned that their genitals look different from yours.

If you can do A, B, and C proficiently, then you are in THIS league.
If you can do A, B, and C only moderately, then you are in THAT league.
If you can do A, B, and C excellently, you belong in THAT OTHER league.

All are open to any gender, no gender, unsure gender, whatever gender. Gender ceases to matter.

Originally Posted by lkagele (Post 1951856)

This is wrong on so many levels. Biologically, there are 2 genders and like it or not, the male gender is stronger and faster. Your proposal ensures 99% + of all females will not be involved in sports. How long do you think a young female will actually pursue competitive sports when they are getting their butts kicked by the physically superior males? My guess is 99% would stop trying to participate against males by the 6th grade.

Originally Posted by DeanFL (Post 1951864)

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Yep. For ANYONE who may feel this is a 'stupid' topic please review my update post -#226. And ask yourself if SHE was a member of YOUR Family or Friends - would you really believe this is 'stupid' or inconsequential?

This truly angers me - how awful for our young kids to try to compete if these are the 'new' rules?
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Originally Posted by drducat (Post 1951865)

Agree.....What ever happened to treatment for gender dysphoria.....needs to be enforced...this is out of control and ruins many lives...their own and others.

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby (Post 1950400)

The hormones are the deal-breaker. In order for a biological female to transform to a surgical male, she has to get hormones. That's what gives her facial hair, certain muscle definition that women don't have, the cessation of menstrual cycles and all the mood swings that go with them.

You're basically telling them that they have to continue to suppress and pretend that they are what their genitalia are forcing them to be. That's not a solution. That's where we are now.

Originally Posted by lkagele (Post 1951856)

This is wrong on so many levels. Biologically, there are 2 genders and like it or not, the male gender is stronger and faster. Your proposal ensures 99% + of all females will not be involved in sports. How long do you think a young female will actually pursue competitive sports when they are getting their butts kicked by the physically superior males? My guess is 99% would stop trying to participate against males by the 6th grade.

Originally Posted by jimjamuser (Post 1952817)

The 1st poster said why NOT try 3 levels of co-ed leagues? It works that way in tennis and softball here in TV Land.

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby (Post 1950406)

Gracie, this has *nothing* to do with sexual attraction.

This isn't about being gay, lesbian, bisexual. Zilch.

It has to do with gender identity. Being comfortable in your own skin, in your own body. There are transgender women who are lesbians, and transgender women who are hetero. There are also transgender women who are asexual - meaning, they aren't interested in sex at all, with anyone. They are women, because their emotions, thought-processes, mentality, how they perceive themselves, is that of a female not a male. Their biology doesn't match EVERYTHING ELSE about them. And so rather than change WHO they are inside, to match WHAT they are outside, they change the WHAT so they can remain the WHO.

It's very strange to me, and it makes me uncomfortable to consider that anyone would be that way, or have surgery to change their biology. But I'm not their judge, it's not my place to tell them they're wrong. They know how they feel, and they're the ones who have to live in their skin. Just like some folks get botox and belly tucks and face-lifts and brazillian butt-lifts and cheek implants and dentures when they get older because they want to deny or defy aging and look as young as they feel.

Some people do the same thing with their sexual organs to match how they feel.

It's weird to me, but I accept it.

Sad that so many people are horrified by the concept that they can't accept that someone ELSE needs to present themselves in the way they feel, just because it doesn't fit with what THEY think that person should be. It's not up to anyone else to determine whether John needs to be Jane. It's up to John.

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby (Post 1952822)

Here's why not: because it might actually work, and that would diminish some peoples' fears and loathing of anything that doesn't fit their narrow-minded criteria of "normal." And we can't have that in the Friendliest Hometown in America.

Originally Posted by jimjamuser (Post 1952817)

The 1st poster said why NOT try 3 levels of co-ed leagues? It works that way in tennis and softball here in TV Land.

Originally Posted by bobdeb (Post 1950468)

Yes, it was initially about LPGA golf, but this post has evolved.

I am not aware of any gender specific softball leagues in TV. Neighborhood softball on Saturdays is often coed.

TV 'men's' leagues are comprised of Divisions with teams within. There are a finite number of players on each team. Typically 12.
Managers traft players based on criteria such as ability and statistics. Other factors of a personal nature come into play. Such as friends, golf or poker buddies. Whatever.

The result is that not everyone who signs up gets on a team. They can substitute or elect to move down to a lower division that must accept them, for one season only.

It can be a cold experience for some players to be 'rejected'.

Point being does a physically gifted transgender qualify to knock of a woman in a 'women's' league? I'm sure it's all kumbaya until someone gets booted off.