New Zealand Scraps Transgender Sports Guidelines, Sparks Controversy
New Zealand abolished guidelines for transgender athletes in local sports, stating "biological males have no place in women's sports," aiming to ensure female athletes' safety.
A top New Zealand minister announced on Thursday that 'biological males have no place in women's sports" as the government decided to eliminate guidelines for transgender athletes in local competitions.
Globally, sports organizations are grappling with how to manage transgender participation. Recently, the US Olympic Committee and the English Football Association have both imposed restrictions on trans athletes in women's sports.
In 2022, Sport NZ, a government agency, developed 'guiding principles for the inclusion of transgender people in community sport."
Senior government minister Winston Peters, New Zealand's leading diplomat, confirmed on Thursday that these 'woke" guidelines had been abolished.
'The state has no place in people's bedrooms — and biological males have no place in women's sports," Peters stated.
'This is purely about ensuring there is safety and security for girls and women in the sports they play at every level."
New Zealand has long been regarded as a pioneer in allowing transgender participation in sports. In 2021, weightlifter Laurel Hubbard became the first openly transgender woman to compete at the Olympics, entering the over-87 kilogram women's category in Tokyo.
The now-discarded guiding principles focused on wellbeing and safety, anti-discrimination, and anti-bullying. They provided advice on offering private spaces in bathrooms and using gender-inclusive language.
'Transgender people can take part in sports in the gender they identify with," the guidelines stated, according to Radio New Zealand.
Failing The Trans Community
Sports organisations were not obligated to follow these guidelines.
Sport NZ chief executive Raelene Castle stated that the guidelines were withdrawn at the government's request.
'The government has directed Sport NZ to stop all work on the Guiding Principles for the Inclusion of Transgender People in Community Sport and remove them from our website," Castle said.
'As a result of this decision, the guiding principles will no longer be available, and the document has been removed from the Sport NZ website.
'Sporting organisations will continue to make their own decisions on the participation of transgender people in community sport and there are a range of expert organisations that can provide support."
The Professional Association for Transgender Health Aotearoa expressed 'deep disappointment" with the change, stating that it would exacerbate an 'unwelcoming and isolating culture for trans and non-binary people in sport."
Benjamin Doyle, a member of the opposition Green Party, criticised the government's decision, saying they were 'failing transgender people."
'Everyone deserves to feel safe in sport," Doyle said. 'These guidelines were just that — guidelines that could keep our communities safe, which no one was bound to adhere to, and now they've been scrapped."
With AFP Inputs
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