But opposition! "Women’s sports is not a backup plan where you can’t win a trophy (and $) in the men’s division."
Through the middle of last year surf fans were gifted the rare sight of a transgender woman tearing hell through the women’s long boarding league over there in Western Australia.
Sasha Jane Lowerson, a svelte forty five year old with terrific arms, transitioned into womanhood in 2020 shortly after winning the men’s longboard div as Ryan Egan and didn’t look back, adding a new trophy ever other weekend it seemed to a mantlepiece already groaning with trophies.
“Trans-girls aren’t going to take over the world, we just want to be included, we’re humans too,” Lowerson said. “I’ve been hiding in this male shell up… for 42 years. To still be made to be that guy that I’m not, it’s shattering,”
A feel-good story for the times.
Surfing’s reactionary core was laid bare, however, when Momentum Generation funnyman and Kelly Slater bandmate Peter King waded into the trans-athlete imbroglio saying,
“Stay out of women’s sports where you miraculously win after being an average performing man. Women’s sports is not a backup plan where you can’t win a trophy (And $) in the men’s division. Leagues like WSL and sponsors like Red Bull will you now stand up to this now instead of harming women’s sports?”
Kelly Slater added, “Make a trans division and we don’t have this confusion.”
Of course, when Lowerson failed to win the Australian longboard title, the media was conspicuously silent.
“It’s pretty amazing the message that you guys the media send to us all!” Lowerson wrote in an Instagram DM. “I just finished fourth in the Australian titles and nothing but the sound of crickets! Listen, I am happy that there isn’t disgusting skewed opinions being published about my inclusion. However, I’m sure as two well-educated men that you two are, both of you can surely see the irony of what I’m pointing out right now! The press love to chant about how it’s only unfair when we (trans-athletes) win!”
Now, the World Surf League, has tentatively opened the door to trans-women competing so long as they’ve been a gal for at least twelve months and their hormone levels are real low ie less than 5 nanomoles per liter continuously for the previous 12 months (biological men hover between 10 and 35, bio-gals under three), although the WSL won’t be doing the testing.
Instead, each athlete will supply their own supporting documents.
“The WSL is working hard to balance equity and fairness and it’s important for a policy to be in place,” the WSL’s newly anointed Chief of Sport Jessi Miley-Dyer told the oft-controversial adult learner surfer website The Inertia. “We recognize that the policy may need to evolve over time as we get feedback and see new research in the field.”
Now, again, one more time, and more importantly, and since we couldn’t agree last two times, what are your favourite tranny-themed movies?
Or, perhaps closer to home, describe your favourite encounter with this exotic species?
