Sportswriter Kavitha Davidson: ‘There Is Not Some Grand, Existential Threat to Women’s Sports Caused by Trans Women’s Participation’

Tur Erin McLaughlin thank ░░░░░░░░ very much And now ░░░░░░░░ me is Kavitha Davidson ░░░░░░░░ and correspondent on HBO ░░░░░░░░ Real Sports with Bryant ░░░░░░░░ Kavitha thank you for ░░░░░░░░ here There are currently ░░░░░░░░ women competing in world ░░░░░░░░ championships no trans women ░░░░░░░░ this a solution in ░░░░░░░░ of a problem DAVIDSON ░░░░░░░░ really think that s ░░░░░░░░ s going on here ░░░░░░░░ is not some grand ░░░░░░░░ threat to women s ░░░░░░░░ caused by trans women ░░░░░░░░ participation The grand existential ░░░░░░░░ to women s sports ░░░░░░░░ not putting women s ░░░░░░░░ on TV basically and ░░░░░░░░ supporting them So I ░░░░░░░░ that you know we ░░░░░░░░ this one woman Lia ░░░░░░░░ who has unfortunately become ░░░░░░░░ face of a problem ░░░░░░░░ doesn t really exist ░░░░░░░░ Yeah DAVIDSON And she ░░░░░░░░ being used as a ░░░░░░░░ in these culture wars ░░░░░░░░ we re seeing around ░░░░░░░░ country and around the ░░░░░░░░ Tur It s not ░░░░░░░░ for professional sports or ░░░░░░░░ sports This is also ░░░░░░░░ down to elementary school ░░░░░░░░ and you know youth ░░░░░░░░ where there are rules ░░░░░░░░ trans kids playing sports ░░░░░░░░ Well so FINA s ░░░░░░░░ only affects competition at ░░░░░░░░ elite level There is ░░░░░░░░ a trickle down effect ░░░░░░░░ both psychologically and in ░░░░░░░░ legislation More than half ░░░░░░░░ the states in the ░░░░░░░░ States have introduced legislation ░░░░░░░░ ban trans athletes at ░░░░░░░░ youth level as well ░░░░░░░░ the psychological effect really ░░░░░░░░ t be overstated The ░░░░░░░░ that these are kids ░░░░░░░░ athletes who are being ░░░░░░░░ their own existence while ░░░░░░░░ denied competition and it ░░░░░░░░ really sad to see ░░░░░░░░ it s really unfortunate ░░░░░░░░ we are likely to ░░░░░░░░ this in other sports ░░░░░░░░ the world Tur Are ░░░░░░░░ expecting I was going ░░░░░░░░ ask are you expecting ░░░░░░░░ see it in other ░░░░░░░░ your answer is yes ░░░░░░░░ about this new category ░░░░░░░░ open category that FINA ░░░░░░░░ it may develop in ░░░░░░░░ swimming competitions What do ░░░░░░░░ make of that given ░░░░░░░░ there s not very ░░░░░░░░ trans athletes competing DAVIDSON ░░░░░░░░ mean you re going ░░░░░░░░ end up having swim ░░░░░░░░ with one or two ░░░░░░░░ in an entirely different ░░░░░░░░ And again the psychological ░░░░░░░░ of categorizing trans women ░░░░░░░░ not women is really ░░░░░░░░ and this is not ░░░░░░░░ conversation we re having ░░░░░░░░ trans men athletes and ░░░░░░░░ kind of goes back ░░░░░░░░ assumptions about physiological advantages ░░░░░░░░ don t actually have ░░░░░░░░ data behind it Tur ░░░░░░░░ do you make of ░░░░░░░░ arguments from some of ░░░░░░░░ women swimmers involved who ░░░░░░░░ listen my body is ░░░░░░░░ fundamentally different from somebody ░░░░░░░░ s gone through puberty ░░░░░░░░ a boy DAVIDSON That ░░░░░░░░ not untrue necessarily but ░░░░░░░░ are cisgender women who ░░░░░░░░ have testosterone levels I ░░░░░░░░ someone who has polycystic ░░░░░░░░ syndrome and our testosterone ░░░░░░░░ are above average and ░░░░░░░░ some of the legislation ░░░░░░░░ that are being passed ░░░░░░░░ now would not qualify ░░░░░░░░ for a competition even ░░░░░░░░ we are cisgender women ░░░░░░░░ I think it s ░░░░░░░░ really complicated issue it ░░░░░░░░ obviously very emotionally charged ░░░░░░░░ the fact of the ░░░░░░░░ is this is about ░░░░░░░░ and humanity Tur Kavitha ░░░░░░░░ you so much well ░░░░░░░░ Appreciate your time And ░░░░░░░░ s going to do ░░░░░░░░ for me today Deadline ░░░░░░░░ House starts right after ░░░░░░░░ quick break.”