Gymnastics Australia released new guidelines regarding transgender athletes.
This week, the federation said that athletes can “wear uniforms” and use “changing and bathroom facilities” according to their gender identity.
Gymnastics Australia stated that it was committed to ensuring a fun, safe, and inclusive environment for everyone, regardless of their sexuality or gender.
“Being inclusive is not only about our core values but also the diversity in our local communities.”
The guidelines are designed to create and foster inclusive environments.
The organization stated that it was “passionate about helping people live happy, healthy, and active lifestyles.” “Gymnastics celebrates diversity in sex and gender, gender identity, expression, sexuality, intersex status. Ability, skill, culture, ethnicity, place, political or religious beliefs, life stage, and cultural background.”
There is a place for you in our sport, just as you are.
The federation said that studies have linked anxiety and depression with transgender people and those who are gender diverse. This was the reason for implementing new guidelines.
Gymnastics Australia has four goals:
- “To affirm our commitment to support the inclusion of people who identify as transgender and gender diverse in gymnastics.”
- “To ensure that Gymnastics Australia’s facilities, programs, and services foster a welcoming, safe environment for people of all genders by eliminating any discriminatory behavior.”
- “To affirm that we support gender-affirming policies and practices in all of our programs, activities, and competitions.”
- “To promote a welcoming, safe, and inclusive environment that encourages participation in gymnastics by people of all genders and sexualities.”
The decision was made the same week that Paula Scanlan – a former teammate and transgender Lia Thomas, NCAA Division I National Champion Lia Thomas – said she “had to relive her trauma of [her] sexual assault by removing her clothes in front of Thomas.”
Scanlan also attacked the Democratic Party, saying that it “[prioritized] the advancement of ‘trans’ rights over the concerns for women.”
She wrote: “One might wonder, during the recent gender debates, what happened to #MeToo — a campaign that seemed to be ideally placed to advocate for women’s protection from sexual and physical violence.”
It’s not too early for organizations aligned with #MeToo to change their course and stand up for women. We deserve equal opportunities, safety, and privacy in every area of our lives, just as everyone else.
