In a recent development, female athletes are reportedly withdrawing from the North American Grappling Association (NAGA) Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu tournament, citing concerns over competing against transgender opponents who were born male.
The controversy was sparked when Corissa Griffith, a transgender competitor born male, won four gold medals at a tournament in Georgia on October 21. The victory has provoked a strong reaction from female-born athletes, according to Reduxx.
The issue first came to light in September when Taelor Moore, a female competitor, expressed her shock at being pitted against a male-born opponent without prior notification. Moore, a California-based athlete, faced the transgender opponent on September 9 and later shared a video of the match on her Instagram page, expressing her surprise at the weight disparity between her and her opponent.
The video features James McPike, 29, who recently transitioned and now goes by the name "Alice," appearing to overpower Moore with ease.
The increasing participation of transgender athletes in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu has raised concerns among female competitors, primarily due to fears of potential injuries from more physically powerful male-born opponents.
In response to the controversy, NAGA clarified its stance on transgender athletes, stating that it does not mandate biological women to compete against transgender women. Instead, the choice is given to the biological women, and if they decline, they compete exclusively with other biological women.
However, female competitors have alleged that NAGA continues to match them with male-born opponents. Jayden Alexander, a competitor, expressed her disbelief at the growing number of male-born opponents in the sport.
Ansleigh Wilk, another competitor, revealed that she was not informed about facing a transgender opponent until she stepped onto the mats. She also noted the distinct difference in competing against a male-born opponent compared to a female one.
As a result, several women declined to participate in the October 21 event after learning that multiple male-born trans athletes had been approved to compete, as reported by Reduxx.
Alexander voiced her disappointment and fear, stating that the inclusion of male-born competitors in women's brackets is discouraging and intimidating for female athletes.
Wilk further added that many women in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu are hesitant to voice their concerns over the issue, fearing being labeled as bigots or transphobic. She warned that the continuation of this trend could lead to the extinction of women's sports, with medals, belts, records, and money being taken away from women.
Marshi Smith, another competitor, shared that she knows several women who have chosen not to compete due to this issue.
The inclusion of male-born trans opponents in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu has reportedly led to fear and withdrawal among women who have trained for years to compete in the sport.
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