‘I’m not here to change the world’: trans weightlifter opens up about criticism

‘I’m not here to change the world’: trans weightlifter opens up about criticism

Laurel Hubbard, who earlier this year became the first trans weightlifter to represent New Zealand in the Australian International, has opened up about the personal impact of being publicly criticised.

Hubbard has since qualified for the Commonwealth Games and been the subject of ongoing debate about trans women in sports.

After months of keeping a low profile, she opened up in an interview with Radio New Zealand about the effect public criticism has had on her, Pink News has reported.

Hubbard said she was “not a robot” and had to “block out the criticism”.

She said she had been hurt by the public backlash against her, but that she believes society has come further towards accepting trans people.

“I think ten years ago people weren’t ready for an athlete like myself, and perhaps some aren’t ready now,” she said.

“Not everyone supports me, not everyone accepts me but there are people out there that do, that’s been great.

“I had to wait until the world changed and I’m glad it did.”

Hubbard has endured plenty of transphobic criticism from within the sporting world as well as the general public.

Michael Keelan, head of the Australian Weightlifting Federation said, “I personally don’t think it’s a level playing field.

“We’re in a power sport which is normally related to masculine tendencies… where you’ve got that aggression, you’ve got the right hormones, then you can lift bigger weights.

“That’s my personal view and I think it’s shared by a lot of people in the sporting world.”

Gender transition typically leaves trans women with lower testosterone levels than cis women.

Hubbard’s hormone levels are well within the guidelines of the International Olympic Committee for female athletes.

“It’s not my role or my goal to change people’s minds,” she said.

“I’m not here to change the world, I’m just here to be myself.”

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6 responses to “‘I’m not here to change the world’: trans weightlifter opens up about criticism”

  1. Gender transition does not typically leave transwomen with lower testosterone levels than cis women. The average woman, who is not intersex, has testosterone levels of between 2-5mol. This is up to 5 times less than the levels transwomen are allowed to have and still compete. Readers have a right to know the truth.

  2. Factually transwomen have a great physical advantage over biological women. It is not a matter of mere ‘individual differences’ as the lobby would have you believe. There testosterone levels are between 3 to 5 times higher than biological women, their muscle to fat ratio is higher, their lungs bigger etc etc, even after transition. Their ability levels, however, are in the range of intersex athletes and for this reason they should be competing together, not taking places reserved for week biological women.

  3. The statement in the article that trans female athletes have lower testosterone levels than biological women is not true. The average biological woman has levels of testosterone between 2 to 3mmol. It is only some intersex individuals who have levels at or above 10mmol, the level Hubbard must keep to. Therefore Hubbard has a marked advantage over biological women. To be fair there should be another category for those with high testosterone such as hers.

  4. A person who is born male, who develops through adolescence, has several years as an adult male, then transitions, may well retain an advantage despite transitioning to female. Male strength is a product of not only muscle but also of bone structure. Specifically bigger long-bones in arms and legs e.g. bigger levers. The issues re: both these athletes, the AFL player and this weightlifter, is that they not only transitioned as adults but that they developed into full adulthood and competed as elite male athletes prior to transitioning. That is where issues arise about a level playing field and potential unfair advantage.

    • Well then ban tall cis women from competing too if they have the same “unfair” advantage. Have all sports competitions in height brackets like boxers use weight brackets. That’s fair.

      Obviously also impractical, but if we’re getting down to long-bone length as somehow being as big a deal as hormones and muscles then it’s the only way.

  5. “Michael Keelan, head of the Australian Weightlifting Federation said, “I personally don’t think it’s a level playing field.

    “We’re in a power sport which is normally related to masculine tendencies… where you’ve got that aggression, you’ve got the right hormones, then you can lift bigger weights.”

    Wow, what a dick. Yes muscle strength/mass is related to hormones BUT TRANS ATHLETES HAVE HORMONE TREATMENT AND HAVE LOW LEVELS OF THE HORMONES WHICH MAKE MEN TRADITIONALLY “STRONGER”.

    It’s like the trans AFL player from last month – her hormones are within regulation levels for her sport and she’s a decidedly different player than she was when she played as a man before her transition, she’s lost the testosterone biochemical advantage and this can be easily measured in a lab and seen on the field.

    There are none so blind as those who will not see, sadly sports administration is full of these clowns.