A Danish transgender golfer, who is a biological male, said this week that allowing “male-bodied” individuals to compete in female sports is a “slap in the face to women.”
Golfer Mianne Bagger, who is 55, was the first transgender athlete in a professional gold tournament in the Women’s Australian Open. This week, on Australia’s “Insight” television show, Bagger said they now support a bill that will ban transgender athletes from female sporting events, according to the New York Post.
“If someone has gone through male puberty and competed in elite pro-level sport or Olympic level sport as a male, I think if they transition that should preclude them from competitive women’s sport,” Bagger said in the TV program.
Bagger told News.com.au that current laws allow “male-bodied people presenting as women, who live as women, with varying degrees of medical intervention and in some degrees, no medical intervention,” to compete in women’s sports.
“It’s crossed the line, in my view, it really has,” Bagger added. “It’s a slap in the face to women.”
In the United States, several GOP governors have recently signed legislation to protect women's sports, such as Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds and Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey.
Last month, former Olympian Caitlyn Jenner came out in support of Emma Weyant, an Olympic swimmer who came in second place in a race at the NCAA women’s swimming championships to Will “Lia” Thomas, a biological male competing on the University of Pennsylvania’s women’s swim team. Thomas competed on the men’s team for three previous seasons.
On the other hand, Jenner turns down invitations to play in women’s golf tournaments.
“I play golf and, seven years after my transition, I still have a big advantage over women players. I'm 6ft 1in. I have longer arms than the ladies and I can outdrive them by a hundred yards,” Jenner said in an interview with Daily Mail. “Even being off testosterone and on estrogen for seven years now, what I've got left over is still more than they've ever had. So, it wouldn't be fair.”
“I'd feel bad taking a trophy away from one of the ladies at our club who really deserves it,” Jenner added.