The North American Grappling Association (NAGA) Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu tournament is witnessing a mass exodus of female-born athletes, who are protesting against the inclusion of male-born transgender competitors.
The controversy was sparked after transgender competitor Corissa Griffith, who was born male, clinched four gold medals at a tournament in Georgia on October 21, according to Reduxx.
The issue has been simmering within the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu community since September, when female competitor Taelor Moore expressed her dismay at being pitted against a male-born opponent without prior notice. Moore, a California-based athlete, encountered the transgender opponent on September 9. She later shared a video of the match on her Instagram page, captioning it, "I weighed in at 135 and she was over 200!"
The video features Moore's opponent, James McPike, 29, who recently adopted the name "Alice," seemingly overpowering Moore with ease. The incident has sparked concerns among female Jiu-Jitsu competitors about the increasing number of transgender athletes in their sport. Their primary apprehension is the risk of injury due to the physical advantage of male-born opponents.
In response to the controversy, NAGA attempted to clarify its stance on transgender athletes. The organization stated, "NAGA does not require biological women to compete against transgender women. Instead, we give the choice to the biological women and if they decline, they compete in a division only with other biological women."
However, female competitors argue that NAGA continues to match them with male-born opponents. Jayden Alexander, a competitor, expressed her shock at the influx of male-born opponents in the sport. "I honestly never thought this would actually happen in a contact sport, especially not MY contact sport," Alexander, a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu blue belt, told Reduxx.
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 stark difference in competing against a male-born opponent compared to a female one.
The controversy reached a boiling point at the October 21 event, where several women refused to compete upon learning that multiple male-born trans athletes were participating. "There was not just one, but two trans-identified males who were signed up in a bracket that me and several other women should have been able to sign up for but couldnt because we didnt want to go against the men," Alexander said.
Wilk added that many women in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu are hesitant to voice their concerns for fear of being labeled as bigots or transphobic. "The majority of the women feel scared to even speak out about this matter. They dont want to be labeled a bigot or transphobic," Wilk stated.
Marshi Smith, another competitor, revealed that she knows several women who have chosen not to compete due to this issue. "I have now spoken to four women who have all fought male fighters in the combat sport of Jiu-Jitsu. They are extremely upset. They are self-excluding," Smith told Reduxx.
The inclusion of male-born trans opponents in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu tournaments has led to a wave of fear among female-born athletes, many of whom have dedicated years to the sport. The controversy continues to stir debate within the sporting community, with no clear resolution.
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