It turns out, though, that there is no proof that transgender women have an automatic advantage. A report released earlier this month on transgender student athletes says...
It's possible I suppose that this is true but I find it very difficult to believe. I've been on hormones for over six years now, take massive dosages of anti-androgens and even though I've lost some muscle mass, I feel pretty confident that there are few women, save for elite athletes, that I couldn't out compete in just about any sport.
I can guarantee you that there is not one single female that I work with, many of whom are much younger and if truth be told, in much better shape than me, that could beat me in basketball, throw a football further, ski better, hit a baseball better, run faster, jump higher or lift more than I can. Not a one. Zip. Zilch. Zero.
I'm not saying this to brag or for any other reason save for the fact that I have the advantage of a body that was built by more than 30 years of testosterone. My skeletal system is bigger and stronger and all those years of living "male" simply conditioned me to be able to do those things. It's the way the human body is built and it's the way that most of our fellow animals are built. In nearly every single instance, the male of a species is bigger, stronger and faster. No amount of estrogen will change that.
I give you as an example my two border collies. Sammy and River are both the same age, separated by only a few months, but Sammy, my male border, is bigger, faster, more agile and a better athlete. He's not necessarily smarter, though he is a genius, but physically, he is built different and it's the same with me.
Okay, feel free to disagree but I stand by what I've said here.
1 comments:
Hey Kelly,
Interesting post, in that I've had the complete opposite experience. The distance my performance has fallen has been dramatic. I am very in tune with my body (I thought) and am familiar with its ups and downs.
I've been on HRT for about 20 months, but also have been an avid runner for past 20 years of my 47. This past February I ran a marathon (rather, I tried). I trained for about 4 months before that with a running group and trainer. My performance loss was dramatic compared to a marathon that I ran about 30 months ago. Ouch.
But it's not just that, for me it has been just about every aspect of my physical conditioning. I've noticed that jars are getting difficult to open, stairs can leave me winded. When I go for a run, I adjust my pace within a quarter mile and start to run/walk within 2 miles. Just about every aspect has changed.
I welcome the changes, but at the same time am disappointed that I'm not even in my age group for women now. Before HRT, I was solidly in the middle of my age group for men. The funny thing about my latest marathon is that I probably was 1st in my group for middle aged Transwomen. :) So, there's that.
Look this isn't to say that your point isn't valid or anything like. If anything I'm jealous. This is just what I've noticed for me. Maybe I should have my meds adjusted. I just assumed that this was normal or something. I do get my labs checked every three months, btw.
p.s. I wrote about my experiences with the marathon training in my blog, here: http://thissupergirlrocks.blogspot.com/2011/01/life-is-marathon-but-not-this-one.html
sorry for the length of the post. What brought me here was a link to your post about your FFS.
Sorry to read about Sammy. Have you read a book called: The Art Of Racing In The Rain? It's a great book! You'll cry and miss Sammy all that much more. It is one of the most interesting books every written, though. How Enzo put words to paper isn't exactly spelled out.;) Check it out, you won't be sorry.
With love,
Caroline
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