Sexism, pure and simple

re: "Tired of PC nonsense" (BP, PostBag, June 25, 2021)

 
Dear editor,

Eric Bahrt's "Tired of PC nonsense" exemplifies brilliantly the traditional thinking behind those who object to transgendered people competing in sporting events according to their manifest physical sex characteristics. Mr Bahrt's logic is also an excellent lesson in the persistence of demeaning sexism.

First, Eric makes an excellent point when he emphasizes that competitors in sporting events, as in employment and elsewhere, should be discriminated among according to relevant criteria. In the case of athletics, this is the physical characteristics. As Eric usefully points out: "It's estimated that men generally have 26 pounds of more skeletal muscle mass than women."

There are certainly statistical differences between an average man and an average woman, not only physically, but also cognitively and emotionally. This is precisely the reason just selection for employment, competition, or other positions should be based strictly on relevant criteria, such as skeletal muscle mass, demonstrated academic ability in mathematics or law, or actual empathy. To assume and make judgements, prejudgements (prejudices, that is), based on the argument that women are less competent as lawyers, engineers or mathematicians because of possibly real statistical differences between the averages for males and females rather than to treat each individual person, male or female, as an individual person being objectively assessed according to the relevant criteria is rank sexism.

When Eric adds to his set of relevant physical selection criteria for athletes the extra condition that sex overrides relevant criteria, he assumes that all women are weaker than and incapable of competing with all men. That is sexism. The relevant criteria for Olympic events to ensure a level playing field for all competitors is discrimination based on height, weight, testosterone level, and so on.

There is no reason to bring competitors' sex into it.

 Felix Qui
 

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The above letter to the editor is the text as submitted by Felix Qui to the Bangkok Post.

 
The text as edited was published in PostBag on June 27, 2021, under the title "Sexism, pure and simple" at https://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/postbag/2139115/heres-cheers-to-the-fab-6