APS Transgender Policy

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok, PP - how would you draft the policy so it’s fair and safe for cis kids and trans kids? Do you have an idea besides “trans kids are SOL?”

Not sure what PO you’re addressing but no one on this thread has said “trans kids are SOL.” No one.

Look immediately below your post.

That is not SOL, just bc you don’t like it. It’s a legitimate response (and the policy of the NCAA).

Exactly! I'm sorry you don't like the response, but it is entirely legitimate. A PP above listed numerous reasons why XX and XY shouldn't be competing against each other. The XX body can do amazing things the XY body can't, but there is no denying the impact of testosterone that begins in utero.

We have different entries for a reason: Men's swimming/ women's swimming, Olympics/ Special Olympics. Different is OK. Can you handle that?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok, PP - how would you draft the policy so it’s fair and safe for cis kids and trans kids? Do you have an idea besides “trans kids are SOL?”

They already have allowances for locker rooms. Just don’t introduce any changes to the existing sports policies, or require female gender assigned at birth for girls’ teams.

It’s a fairness issue for xx girls as well. Changing the policy to allow transgendered girls to participate on girls’ teams would be unfair to a much larger number of kids than not changing the policy would.

But that forces trans kids who want to play sports to be singled out - you can’t just brush that aside. Can we have a science-based discussion about the role of testosterone? Does anyone have data on the actual age at which males gain any real benefit from their testosterone in sports? What about trans girls who are taking medication to suppress their testosterone production who haven’t gone through puberty? What’s wrong with letting them play in the team they identify with?

I’m interested in these questions too - does anyone know if XY girls that take hormones to stop male puberty still have an advantage? I would think that they’d still have some advantages like hip shape, leg bone proportions, overall body and internal organ size. But I’m ignorant here and maybe these things all happen because of male hormones in puberty.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Transgender kids deserve love and respect.

APS parents deserve answers to legitimate questions about the long-term implications of policy changes that will impact all future students in one way or another.

Neither group should be belittled.

+1. Believe it or not, this is not mutually exclusive. You can feel both ways. I realize there is nuance and I’m willing to bet that a lot of parents inwardly do too, but are scared to admit that publicly.

And in a strange turn of events, the anonymous DCUM forum is actually more thoughtful and less judgmental than AEM. Wow!

The world has turned upside down!

I thought one poster was very thoughtful in pointing out that the pitchfork crew was pushing away people that may have had legitimate concerns (sports, sleeping arrangements), but her comments didn't get any traction.

My younger child participated in a sport against an XY female. The advantage that athlete had was undeniable and rather demoralizing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There's now a non-transparent APS parent group that has been created to fight this policy.
https://arlingtonparentcoa.wixsite.com/arlingtonparentcoa?fbclid=IwAR0yqhdaEcHTRW8RzUcnxPuiF_FEogCHPiS-CKAwukT-KtC0rpCmB8za4t0

That is disgusting.

How is that “disgusting”? I think it’s important for parents to ensure that their voices are heard. Otherwise it will be like Fairfax County, where changes like using the phrase “gender assigned at birth” were rammed through, despite 80% of the public comments being opposed to it. Hopefully Arlington parents will get more of a say.

Then they should put their names to it. Right now they’re hiding behind that website like a bunch of cowards and yet laughably still expect the school board to take them seriously,

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There's now a non-transparent APS parent group that has been created to fight this policy.
https://arlingtonparentcoa.wixsite.com/arlingtonparentcoa?fbclid=IwAR0yqhdaEcHTRW8RzUcnxPuiF_FEogCHPiS-CKAwukT-KtC0rpCmB8za4t0

That is disgusting.

How is that “disgusting”? I think it’s important for parents to ensure that their voices are heard. Otherwise it will be like Fairfax County, where changes like using the phrase “gender assigned at birth” were rammed through, despite 80% of the public comments being opposed to it. Hopefully Arlington parents will get more of a say.

Then they should put their names to it. Right now they’re hiding behind that website like a bunch of cowards and yet laughably still expect the school board to take them seriously,

They’re sharing information. Why do you need their names? So you can troll them on social media?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There's now a non-transparent APS parent group that has been created to fight this policy.
https://arlingtonparentcoa.wixsite.com/arlingtonparentcoa?fbclid=IwAR0yqhdaEcHTRW8RzUcnxPuiF_FEogCHPiS-CKAwukT-KtC0rpCmB8za4t0

That is disgusting.

How is that “disgusting”? I think it’s important for parents to ensure that their voices are heard. Otherwise it will be like Fairfax County, where changes like using the phrase “gender assigned at birth” were rammed through, despite 80% of the public comments being opposed to it. Hopefully Arlington parents will get more of a say.

Then they should put their names to it. Right now they’re hiding behind that website like a bunch of cowards and yet laughably still expect the school board to take them seriously,

Calling them names and harassing them doesn’t help the situation and reflects poorly on those that do. There is no reason for you to know their names and the SB pretty much does what it wants on controversial positions whether or not they know people’s identities.

[Anonymous]

Gosh- these are just kids. I kind of feel like they haven't fully grown up yet. At what age are kids starting to transition genders? I was a late bloomer so it's hard for me to comprehend a 12 year old wanting to change their gender. I also hope that they don't take medications or go through medical procedures until they are young adults, not young kids who may not think through things fully. I do believe some people are born with the need to be opposite gender and am all for change if wanted but not at a young age when they may not have the maturity or brain development to make such big decisions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Gosh- these are just kids. I kind of feel like they haven't fully grown up yet. At what age are kids starting to transition genders? I was a late bloomer so it's hard for me to comprehend a 12 year old wanting to change their gender. I also hope that they don't take medications or go through medical procedures until they are young adults, not young kids who may not think through things fully. I do believe some people are born with the need to be opposite gender and am all for change if wanted but not at a young age when they may not have the maturity or brain development to make such big decisions.

It’s a tricky issue for sure, but think about how mentally damaging it may be to deny hormone treatments to a transgender child and require them to go through puberty to become a gender they don’t identify with. There’s a limited window of time to save a child from undergoing that transformation that cannot fully be undone. As such, it seems best to leave those decisions to trained psychiatrists, doctors, and the child and his or her guardians. I’d think hard before supporting any policy that requires a minor to reach maturity before seeking hormone therapy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Gosh- these are just kids. I kind of feel like they haven't fully grown up yet. At what age are kids starting to transition genders? I was a late bloomer so it's hard for me to comprehend a 12 year old wanting to change their gender. I also hope that they don't take medications or go through medical procedures until they are young adults, not young kids who may not think through things fully. I do believe some people are born with the need to be opposite gender and am all for change if wanted but not at a young age when they may not have the maturity or brain development to make such big decisions.

This is a pretty common feeling and some times kids who question gender as kids "grow out of it"

This is why they have protocols such as hormones blockers and stuff to delay puberty and give everyone time to affirm their gender identity. In the meantime it's helpful to support kids even the young ones.

Basically don't make permanent changes early but don't deny feelings because you think they are too young.

[Anonymous]

I don’t think anyone is saying that we don’t need to treat all kids with compassion.

That does not mean that we need to do so at the expense of others. There has to be a way where natural born females are not put at a disadvantage that doesn’t apply to natural born males.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There's now a non-transparent APS parent group that has been created to fight this policy.
https://arlingtonparentcoa.wixsite.com/arlingtonparentcoa?fbclid=IwAR0yqhdaEcHTRW8RzUcnxPuiF_FEogCHPiS-CKAwukT-KtC0rpCmB8za4t0

That is disgusting.

How is that “disgusting”? I think it’s important for parents to ensure that their voices are heard. Otherwise it will be like Fairfax County, where changes like using the phrase “gender assigned at birth” were rammed through, despite 80% of the public comments being opposed to it. Hopefully Arlington parents will get more of a say.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok, PP - how would you draft the policy so it’s fair and safe for cis kids and trans kids? Do you have an idea besides “trans kids are SOL?”

I’d say XY individuals must compete against each other. No XY individuals in competitions for XX individuals. I know it wouldn’t be the best because every XY girl is going to feel outed when competing against XY boys. But it is the XY girl born with a massive physical advantage over XX girls. She also can still compete against individuals with those same advantages.

If we let XY girls compete against XX girls, then there’s no forum for XX bodies to be praised and celebrated for what they naturally can achieve. XX girls are physically weaker than basically half the population. XX girls live with that disadvantage and the fears and feelings of inadequacy it can entail. XX girls have hip shapes and shoulder shapes that are less attuned for speed and strength and instead allow for childbearing. XX bodies are smaller, they have smaller hearts and lung capacities, they have different twitch muscle fibers, and less bone density. These are real differences when it comes to sports and taking sex hormones won’t “fix” these disadvantages. And no XX individual should feel like her body isn’t enough when it comes to women’s sports. Given the number of XY girls now winning championships and setting records in women’s sports, I don’t think it will be long before XX girls feel inadequate and set aside. What happens when very athletic XY girls set records no XX girls can hope to break? What happens when instead of a Serena Williams, there’s just an XY mens champion and XY women’s champion? XX girls need representative heroes too and in sports, to have that happen, you need separate spaces.

+1

I have an extremely athletic HS DD who is at the top of her sport in the DMV. It is a team sport so having a genetic male on her team would not likely effect her but I agree with everything you've said.

[Anonymous]

At the very least, wouldn't it affect the team dynamics? Would that affect her if the genetic male tried out for the position she plays?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Transgender kids deserve love and respect.

APS parents deserve answers to legitimate questions about the long-term implications of policy changes that will impact all future students in one way or another.

Neither group should be belittled.

+1. Believe it or not, this is not mutually exclusive. You can feel both ways. I realize there is nuance and I’m willing to bet that a lot of parents inwardly do too, but are scared to admit that publicly.

And in a strange turn of events, the anonymous DCUM forum is actually more thoughtful and less judgmental than AEM. Wow!

The world has turned upside down!

I thought one poster was very thoughtful in pointing out that the pitchfork crew was pushing away people that may have had legitimate concerns (sports, sleeping arrangements), but her comments didn't get any traction.

My younger child participated in a sport against an XY female. The advantage that athlete had was undeniable and rather demoralizing.

Yes, that poster is now being accused of hyjacking the thread and being a distraction. Simply because of expressions of tolerance for other people's legitimate concerns. No wonder the parents of this other group want to be anonymous.

The militant "If you don't put trans rights above all others, you are a bigot" crowd are hurting the cause of those who want to promote love and understanding. They aren't creating a better, safer space for all. They don't care about that. I think the environment for trans kids would be a lot better without the militant group b/c they create opposition where there could have cooperation.

[Anonymous]

So what does the NCAA say?