A male-to-female (MTF) transgender participating at a swimming event in the city of Barrie in Canada's Ontario province has ignited a fierce debate surrounding the safety of young athletes.
Melody Wiseheart, 50, was the lone MTF competitor at the Trojan Cup in early December. He won second place in the women's 1500-meter freestyle event for competitors aged 16 and older.
Wiseheart, who formerly competed under the name Nicholas Cepeda, participated in multiple events at the cup. Reports indicate that Wiseheart, a professor at York University in Toronto, has been competing against girls since 2019.
The controversy reached its peak when shocked and concerned parents resorted to building a makeshift tent out of towels in the locker room to shield girls as young as eight from changing in front of him. Distressed parents have expressed their fear and discomfort with the situation.
"The girls were terrified," shared an unidentified parent. "It's all so confusing for the kids. No one is comfortable. Everyone is accepting of all people, but them swimming against our kids and being in a locker room with them is not appropriate."
Wiseheart was even spotted entering the locker room ahead of the event. One parent called the Barrie Police Department, but the department was later advised that the matter had resolved itself.
Despite the controversy, Swimming Canada and Swim Ontario, the organizations sanctioning the competition, defended Wiseheart's participation. They emphasized their commitment to inclusivity and maintained that their policies ensure a safe and welcoming environment for all participants.
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“In partnership with Swimming Canada, Swim Ontario has a robust system of policies, procedures, and rules that support our member clubs in providing a competitive experience that is safe, welcoming, and inclusive for all participants,” said the organizations in a joint statement.
They explained that his participation adhered to their policies, which seed athletes based on entry time, regardless of age. The statement also highlighted that access to changing rooms follows applicable laws and is determined by facility and municipality policies.
Parents remain unconvinced, however, questioning the fairness of Wiseheart competing against girls who are training for scholarships. Parents also expressed their concern about the impact of this sports experience on their children.
Roanoke women's swim team urges NCAA to change its transgender policies
The controversy adds fuel to the ongoing debate on transgender athletes in sports, with international governing bodies like World Aquatics taking a stance against male-to-female transgender athletes competing in the women's category. In 2022, World Aquatics updated its policy to allow only those who transitioned before age 12 or were in the early stages of puberty to participate in those events.
The Roanoke College Women's Swim Team made headlines last October as they hosted an event featuring activist Riley Gaines and the organization ICONS, urging the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) to change its policies that allow transgender women to compete in female sports.
Ten members of the Roanoke swim team organized a news conference after the school decided to prioritize the inclusion of a transgender student, who identifies as female, seeking to join the women's swim team over what they described as the concerns of 17 female swimmers.
"We are calling on the NCAA to protect female athletes and grant us fair sports - in every sport. We are calling on US Swimming to recognize that girls at every level deserve to know they are valuable enough to be given a fair race," said sophomore Carter Satterfield.
Roanoke revealed that the transgender student had competed on the men’s team in 2021, taking a year off before requesting to join the women’s team. The school acknowledged that it was the first time they had encountered such a situation, but the school still adopted the policy of the NCAA.
"The thought of having to compete against a biological man is a message that women aren't worthy, that we don't actually matter," a team member said.
GenderConfused.com has more stories about biological male athletes competing in sports divisions for biological women.
Watch Gabor "Gabe" Zolna explain why transgender athletes deserve to be institutionalized below.
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More related stories:
World Athletics bans transgender athletes from competing in female category at international events.
TWO THUMBS-DOWN: Female high-school athlete loses spot in state championship to TRANS competitor.
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