Alberta policy on trans athletes spurs discussion among people with stake in competitive sports
Global News
Smith suggested transgender athletes can have advantages over their cisgender competitors.
After Alberta’s premier announced a new proposed policy regarding athletic competition restrictions on transgender athletes in the province, some people involved in sports and who have differing views on the matter say it is important that conversations are had about the issue.
Kimberly Daniels, a transgender woman in Calgary, is an international canoe official who has worked at World Cups, World Championships, Pan American Games and the Olympic Games.
“It just happened that I was the first transgender official to be in the Olympics — first out official,” she told Global News on Friday. “The support I got from the international sport community was amazing.”
She said she is hearing a lot of concern from the queer and transgender community about the policy, one of several policies related to gender identity and sex education that was first announced by Premier Danielle Smith on Wednesday.
Smith suggested transgender athletes can have advantages over their cisgender competitors.
“There are obvious biological realities that give transgender female athletes a massive competitive advantage over women and girls,” Smith said Wednesday.
Smith said she would like to work with sports organizations to create spaces and competitive divisions for women and girls where they do not need to compete against transgender female athletes.
She added that she also wants to make sure transgender athletes are able to “meaningfully participate in the sport of their choice,” suggesting Alberta may look at expanding gender-neutral or co-ed divisions.