The superb (and well overdue) policy change by Sport New Zealand regarding biological males in women’s sports simply reflects public opinion.
A recent Curia Market Research poll found that only 13 per cent of New Zealanders thought that boys who identify as girls should be able to play in a girls team. Sixty-eight per cent said they shouldn’t, and 19 per cent were unsure.
What is most interesting is that a similar poll in 2018 by the same polling company found that support and opposition was locked at 39 per cent each. Opposition has grown markedly over the last five years to the unfairness and safety concerns around boys competing against girls.
Contrary to the narrative, ‘𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞’ 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲 𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭. 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐧 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐛𝐢𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐬𝐞𝐱. The other option is to create a new mixed category.
But females deserve to play in their own league. The government had dropped the ball on this by not sending clear guidelines to sporting groups.
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐩𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐛𝐢𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐲, 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬, 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧 and 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐞.
This article was originally published by Family First New Zealand.
