The International Olympic Committee has praised the weightlifter Laurel Hubbard’s “courage and tenacity” as she prepares to become the first transgender athlete to compete in an Olympics on Monday. The IOC’s medical and science director, Dr Richard Budgett, said “everyone agrees that trans women are women”. It’s very difficult to say, ‘yes, she has an advantage because she went through male puberty,’ when there’s so many other factors to take into account,” he said. Recent scientific papers have also shown that anyone who undergoes male puberty retains significant advantages in power and strength even after taking medication to suppress their testosterone levels. “Everyone agrees transgender women are women.

Source: The Guardian July 29, 2021 08:21 UTC