New research shows that most female athletes are not concerned with transgender athletes participating in women's sports,
The study, conducted by researchers at Monash University, showed that less than a quarter (24 per cent) of women believed ‘trans athletes have an unfair advantage when they play on a female sport team’.
They surveyed female athletes from six different sports at 12 randomly selected clubs to get their findings.
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What was interesting was that 46 per cent of men surveyed felt there was an unfair advantage.
The research also showed similar results to another study conducted in 2020, which concluded that only 39 per cent of women believe that trans women have an ‘unfair advantage’, with 9 per cent expressing they ‘strongly’ felt this.
In contrast, 65 per cent of surveyed men believed they did have an advantage, with 27 per cent saying they strongly agreed with this statement.
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So what's clear is that men seem to have a much bigger problem with a situation that doesn't really apply to them.
The research findings follow Tasmania Senator Claire Chandler introducing the Save Women's Sports bill, which wants to amends the Sex Discrimination Act.
If it gets passed, it would see transgender athletes excluded from in a range of sporting clubs in Australia based on sex.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has previously applauded the bill, calling it ‘terrific’, according to the Guardian.
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He added: “Claire is a champion for women’s sport, and I think she’s been right to raise these issues in the way that she has. Well done Claire.”
Other members of the Coalition also support the bill; with Matt Canavan saying: “I think it represents millions of Australians, especially Australian women who don’t want to see their daughters work hard, try hard, get up early to become the elite at their [sport] and then someone with a clear biological advantage can just beat them.”
However, the proposed bill has also faced scrutiny, with many LGBTQI+ advocates speaking out against its ideals.
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ABC News reports that former Tasmanian anti-discrimination commissioner Robin Banks said the bill was ‘a legislative solution to a non-existent problem'.
She said: "[Senator Chandler] argued that it's about supporting equality for girls and women in sport, the Sex Discrimination Act already permits that.
"This is not a good piece of legislation, it will have unintended consequences and discrimination laws should be about preventing discrimination, not promoting it."
Charisa Bossinakis