In recent months, there has been a growing concern in the world of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu as female competitors have been forced to compete against biologically male transgender opponents. This issue came to a head at the North American Grappling Association (NAGA) tournament in Georgia on October 21, where multiple women withdrew from the competition after discovering they would be competing against biological males.
At the heart of the matter is a discrepancy between NAGA’s stated policy and the reality of what is happening on the mat. The organization claims that it does not require biological females to compete against transgender females, instead offering them the option to compete in a division solely with other biological females. However, female competitors have reported that NAGA has continued to pair them with male-born opponents.
Pick on someone your own size you reprehensible excuse for a human being
“I weighed in at 135 … and she/he was over 200!”https://t.co/fF25TdpoDH— Harry Grant (@GrantHarryF) October 28, 2023
This situation is not unique to NAGA or the Georgia tournament. In September, California athlete Taelor Moore faced a transgender opponent, James McPike, who recently began going by the name “Alice.” Moore posted a video of the match to her Instagram account, highlighting the significant weight difference between the two competitors and expressing her frustration with being blindsided by the matchup.
Female competitors have expressed their fear of being injured by more powerful male opponents and their frustration with sports associations that allow such matchups. The issue is not a matter of so-called “transphobia” but rather a concern for the safety and fairness of female athletes. Sports organizations must take these concerns seriously and establish clear policies that protect the rights of all competitors, regardless of their gender identity.
In a martial arts tournament last week, several females boycotted because of the surplus of males competing against the women.
In most of the women's divisions, there were more males than females competing. In one of the women's division, there were ONLY males left competing as… pic.twitter.com/nULMvHBDVV
— Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) October 27, 2023
In the name of inclusivity and feminism, males are brutally beating up on women and being awarded for it.
Think about the message this sends https://t.co/tFbpuNZamn
— Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) October 27, 2023
After the withdrawals on October 21, NAGA issued a new policy that divides competitors into divisions based on their gender identity. Transgender females must now compete in the men’s division, while cisgender females will compete exclusively with each other. This new policy is a step in the right direction, but it remains to be seen whether NAGA will enforce it.
The bravery of the female competitors who withdrew from the tournament in protest should be commended. Their actions have sparked a necessary conversation about the rights and safety of female athletes in the face of changing societal norms around gender identity. We must continue to have these conversations and work toward finding solutions that protect and uphold the rights of all individuals, regardless of their gender identity, while ensuring a level playing field for female athletes.
