Sports
Globally, political correctness is demanded more than professionalism in athletic contests due to the impact of transgender ideology. According to researches on sports physiology, it is impossible for female athletes to be safe and competent when trans inclusion in women’s sports is regulated.
In Taiwan, transgender athletes will be allowed to “transfer” to another group as their self-identified gender in 2023 National Middle School Athletic Games (NMSAG).
Taiwan
Transsexual Woman Broke Women’s Record in NIAG
Yu-Jia Lin, a NTU’s undergraduate, began her formal training after studying at the university. She won second place in 800 meters at first time attending the General Women’s Track and Field competition of National Intercollegiate Athletic Games (NIAG). Through her one-year training, she broke the women’s record of NIAG. As a result, she won first place in 400 meters and 800 meters in 2019.
News ｜First time in Taiwan’s history of sports: A transsexual women in NIAG
2023: Athletes are allowed to "transfer" to another group in the competitions of the National Middle School Athletic Games (NMSAG) and National University and College Athletic Games (NUCAG)
In Jan. 2022, the Chinese Taipei School Sport Federation (CTSSF) announced on its official website that from 2023, transgender and intersex athletes are allowed to “transfer” to another group in the competitions of the National Middle School Athletic Games (NMSAG).
On 31 Oct. 2022, the Chinese Taipei University Sports Federation (CTUSF) announced the pilot project conceived by the Sports Administration (SA) of the Ministry of Education: Trans athletes can participate in the groups matching their “gender identities”.
In the pilot project, it states that trans athletes’ right of participating in the groups they identify with is based upon the IOC’s 10 key principles (inclusion, prevention of harm, non-discrimination, fairness, no presumption of advantage, evidence-based approach, primacy of health and bodily autonomy, stakeholder centered approach, right to privacy and periodic reviews) and government’s support of trans rights. According to the project, a trans athlete needs to provide “1 diagnosis of gender dysphoria”, a declaration, personal records, testosterone levels test, and other medical examinations. In its Q&A section, it claims that medical studies show that testosterone level determines athletic performance and thus the principle of “no presumption of advantage” is obeyed. It adds that if any national federations change their eligibility regulations for transgender athletes, the SA will follow up.
The SA clearly announced that this project is a response to the Control Yuan’s request for “intersex athletes” to be included in the competitions. It explained that this is a pilot project for NMSAG and NUCAG. It added that depending on conditions, it may apply the same eligibility regulations to other competitions. Nevertheless, “intersex athletes” has never been mentioned in this project. In its Q&A section, its view of intersex (receiving surgery before puberty) completely contradicts the “Directions for medical interventions on intersex minors” of the Ministry of Health and Welfare. Further, it might encourage minors to undergo medical gender transition by requiring mtf athletes to finish the whole transition before 12.
National High School Games to allow transgender, intersex athletes to compete
How will Taiwan’s future look like?
Physical Fitness Test and Application to Sport Talent Classes and Schools
If we take a look at the part of sit-up from the Ministry of Education’s “Physical Fitness Norms”, we can see that in the 16-23 age group, males’ average performance is 35-37 sit-ups per minute whereas females’ is 27-28 sit-ups per minute. Moreover, this number of males’ average performance is the same as the ones of females’ preliminary performance of silver and gold medals. If a male student is allowed to register as a female, he will easily get extra points when applying to sport talent classes and schools.
Fairness in Athletic Contests
When sex differences are real, is it fair to let any males participate in women’s sports?
Or, is it fair to let any trans men who are taking testosterone participate in women’s sports?
Fairness in Application to University: Female Students of Sport Talent Classes
If male students are allowed to participate in the female group of NMSAG, they will rule the female students of sport talent classes (an alternative educational system in Taiwan, recruiting athletically talented students) out of medals and application to universities.
- The Ministry of Education: 2019 Curriculum Guidelines of 12 Year Basic Education
- Regulations for Incentives and Guidance to Athletically Talented Students at Secondary Schools and Above
- For the extra points in specific competitions, see: 2017 General Regulations for Incentives and Guidance to Athletically Talented Students at Secondary Schools and Above
Physical Fitness Test and Occupations
Some occupations like military and police may require their applicants to take a physical fitness test. When sex differences exist in physical ability, is it fair to let acceptance rate for anyone be influenced?