Trans children and youth sports

[sam_gordon]

Someone started a thread on another message board I frequent and I thought it could be a good discussion here.

At issue is (according to the OP on the board) at a soccer tournament for 9 year olds (U10), an opposing team had a trans child (from male to female) playing on the team. That child was faster and stronger than everyone else.

Apparently this was disclosed to coaches before the game.

I'm not sure what to think. On one hand, I'm guessing the child feels they would be ridiculed playing on a boys team and they feel more comfortable on the girls team. On the other hand, since he's still physically a male, he's going to be stronger, faster, and possibly more aggressive. That could turn into a safety issue for other players.

Thoughts?

 

[MillauFr]

Maybe they need to get rid of gender groupings in sports and move toward grouping athletes by testosterone levels.

 

[Kellydelly]

Find a co-ed team.

 

[kimblebee]

They’re nine years old. I guarantee the only ones worried about an ‘advantage’ are the parents. They’re kids, just let them play.

 

[cruiser21]

I'm so glad I didn't have to worry about this crap when I was a kid. I have nothing more to say on this topic.

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

My kids have played on coed teams before. I don’t remember there being a huge difference in speed, strength, or aggressiveness. Maybe because it wasn’t really a competitive team?

***In the age group mentioned.

 

[sam_gordon]

My kids have played on coed teams before. I don’t remember there being a huge difference in speed, strength, or aggressiveness. Maybe because it wasn’t really a competitive team?

My DD played on a co-ed team at that age. Yes, the boys were definitely stronger and faster. I don't remember aggressiveness.

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

My DD played on a co-ed team at that age. Yes, the boys were definitely stronger and faster. I don't remember aggressiveness.

Maybe we just had super fast girls. Maybe it’s just not something that was noticeable enough for me to remember.

 

[sam_gordon]

Maybe we just had super fast girls. Maybe it’s just not something that was noticeable enough for me to remember.

Or my daughter was/is just slow. lol

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

My kids have played on coed teams before. I don’t remember there being a huge difference in speed, strength, or aggressiveness. Maybe because it wasn’t really a competitive team?

Generally, older co-ed teams aren't. (Note, I said generally, some, I am sure are.)

It can be difficult to find a co-ed team for older players. Most (most, not all) split into boys/girls, men/women, by the time they start to get competitive. Which also happens to be the time that boys and girls start to mature, resulting in generally (again, generally) stronger boys.

Which is why a biologic boy playing on a girls team seems pretty unfair.

(Sorry for all of the qualifiers, but I get tired of people trying to explain to me about the outliers. )

 

[CarolAnn856]

At issue is (according to the OP on the board) at a soccer tournament for 9 year olds (U10), an opposing team had a trans child (from male to female) playing on the team. That child was faster and stronger than everyone else.

Is that even a legitimate gender difference at the age of 9? I teach kids that age, and I don't see any kind of major gender differences in athletic ability. It's much more based on overall growth and maturity.

 

[erin1715]

 

[amberpi]

Is that even a legitimate gender difference at the age of 9? I teach kids that age, and I don't see any kind of major gender differences in athletic ability. It's much more based on overall growth and maturity.

Right? I would think by the time the differences would start to manifest, the child in question would be on hormone therapy. But I don't know.

 

[CinderDuffy]

Who cares? They're 9 years old.

 

[ronandannette]

OK, here goes. I believe that similar to the bathroom issue, it will become beneficial for all recreational sports to become gender neutral. Having a male, female and co-ed option available at all times isn't practical, and allowing a genetic male or female who identifies or has been re-assigned otherwise being able to choose may disadvantage others. How it resolves at more competitive levels with elite athletes, I have no idea.

 

[mjkacmom]

I know a trans guy (female to male) who competes with the xc girls, only because he hasn’t had any male hormones (senior in HS), and his school is okay with it. At 9, I don’t think it’s an issue yet, skills are all over the place, and really, who cares.

 

[gillep]

My husband and I had a lengthy discussion about this the other week, definitely a complex subject. I agree with a few other posters that at that particular age, I just don't see how it should be that big of a deal. Most 9 year olds who play sports are doing it for fun. When you start talking about elite athletes it obviously becomes a different, and even more complex, discussion, at 9 though, just let the kids have fun learning and playing the game.

 

[pixiemomma]

Doesn't bother me. My 11 year old son's ice hockey team is coed (no check) as is my 16 years old's high school ice hockey team (full contact). I would have no problem with a transgender child playing on either team and for all I know they may have already played with transgender children. They also played coed tackle football when they were younger.

 

[Grmnshplvr]

As the mother of a transgender child, I am a member of several local and national groups, I can tell you there are FAR more transgender children than people realize. Chances are pretty good your child has quite a few transgender students in their schools, most definitely in their district.

I'm not sure why HER mother felt the need to disclose it to the coach beforehand, I wouldn't have. Who cares if SHE is faster or stronger than anyone else on the team. They're 9. SOMEONE is going to be faster/stronger than everyone else. At this age testosterone levels wouldn't be significantly higher than anyone else, and the child may even be on puberty blockers.

Sounds to me like the parents have an issue here, not the kids, and certainly not the girl that just wants to play with other girls.

If anyone is interested, we do have a local transgender male who plays hockey and has had several articles written about him, his name is Harrison Browne, I can't link the articles for some reason. But he plays on a women's team because he isn't taking hormones right now.

 

[FlightlessDuck]