Why would girls dream of sporting greatness when their role models lose to ‘men’ with size 10 feet & Adam’s Apples?
CONGRATULATIONS to the finalists of Sunday’s Ultimate Pool Women’s Pro Series: Two biological men.
That will shut the likes of JK Rowling and Sharron Davies up, eh?
After all, it makes a mockery of the idea that blokes deliberately enter women’s sport in order to thrash women because, well, the overall winner beat another person born with a penis.
In a scene reminiscent of something from Little Britain — a show since cancelled over its mickey-taking of minority groups — fans watched as two trans ladies fiercely competed at the Robin Park Leisure Centre in Wigan for the coveted trophy.
In the end, victory — and the £1,800 prize money — was snatched by Harriet Haynes who defeated Lucy Smith 8-6.
“Snatched” because in a sport already dominated by blokes — and where ladies’ leagues encourage women to play in a safe, secluded environment — once again a female lost out to someone against whom she never set out to play.
A few protesters lamely held up banners in protest at Ms Haynes’ victory and social media was yesterday ablaze with anger.
But no one can un-pot those balls. The damage has been done.
Now, in a world increasingly filled with incitement and hatred, this isn’t an attack on trans people.
Everyone should be treated with kindness, respect and decency, and be able to pursue their passions.
But when it comes to top-level sport, the playing field MUST be level.
By allowing trans women — who simply cannot undo the physiological advantages established during puberty — to compete against biological women, we are eroding years of hard-earned gender equality.
Let’s face it, the Suffragettes didn’t chain themselves to railings to see what was effectively an all-male final in Wigan.
What incentive is it to young girls, dreaming of becoming Lionesses or Olympians, if they see their grown-up role models being usurped by people with size 10 feet and Adam’s apples?
Let’s face it, the Suffragettes didn’t chain themselves to railings to see what was effectively an all-male final in Wigan.
Last year Harriet, who unquestionably seems a lovely, decent person, gave an interview in which she defended her position.
“All I’ve ever wanted is to be able to play like any other woman,” she said.
And here lies the crux — thanks to a cruel twist in the chromosome lottery, she isn’t any other woman.
Now pool, you may think, isn’t really a sport that especially benefits men, is it?
But the fact that two trans women were in the final in the first place would suggest otherwise, no?
Physical ‘advantage’
One commentator took to X to explain: “Men have an advantage in pool with upper body strength; that is huge on the break (and) the break is huge in pool.
“They have larger reach. They have larger hands for making a bridge. They have a physical advantage in massé (a technical curved ball shot).”
Yesterday marked the start of a five-day tribunal which sees Harriet take on the English Blackball Pool Federation after it decided to restrict its ladies’ events to those born female.
Should she win, it could forever change the face of women’s sport.
Last week, Stateside, this issue came to a head in the world of fencing — once again, the trans women came out on top.
In November 2023, Harriet was handed a walkover win over opponent Lynne Pinches who refused to play, citing fairness concerns.
Footage emerged of Stephanie Turner taking the knee in protest after being pitted against a trans player.
She was shown a black card — a move used for bad behaviour or unsporting conduct — and disqualified.
In November 2023, Harriet was handed a walkover win over opponent Lynne Pinches who refused to play, citing fairness concerns.
In the aftermath, Harriet was bombarded with vile and horrific abuse. None of this is right or fair.
Surely, the answer is very simple. A universal trans division must be set up by all governing bodies of every sport involved, and let everyone compete fairly, safely and without acrimony.
Legend Vera’s still Wangtastic at age of 75
AGELESS, or aged? Over to you . . .
This photo of US fashion designer Vera Wang from February’s Baftas has resurfaced online, with fervent speculation as to whether the sunglasses-wearing 75-year-old should be, well, dressed more like a 75-year-old.
“Ageless? Agree. She looks about 105,” commented one kindly soul. “Ageless? She looks like a cryptkeeper,” said another.
Nonsense.
Why should women of pensionable age be banished away in sensible Laura Ashley, and wrinkled, nude stockings?
Ms Wang is an icon – and I guarantee the people mocking her won’t look half as good at 75.
Surfer in sea change
PROOF, if it were needed, social media is creating a generation of narcissist monsters.
A surfer who was pulled unconscious from the Cornish coast and “brought back to life” by an RNLI lifeguard set up a GoFundMe appeal asking followers to pay for his new wetsuit.
Sam Brenchley, who was airlifted to hospital, moaned that his suit had to be cut off him during the rescue.
After – rightly – being lambasted for his out-of-touch appeal, he later thanked his rescuers, and pledged to send the £350 he had received from 16 donations to the charity that airlifted him to hospital.
After, of course, getting his coveted freebie from a local surf store.
HOWLS of merriment from fans after the forthcoming Beatles biopic line-up was announced – not helped by the fact it came about on April Fool’s Day.
But the most baffling thing for me wasn’t hulking, blue-eyed Paul Mescal playing slimline, brown-eyed Paul McCartney – rather Barry Keoghan, who actually looks like the late John Lennon (if you squint) being cast as Ringo Starr.
Baffling.
Help Esme’s legacy
GOOD luck to 75-year-old Mike Adlam, who’s cycling from Land’s End to John O’Groats in memory of his beloved granddaughter, Esme Orike.
Last year the youngster died aged 13 from an aggressive and rare form of cancer – CIC DUX 4 sarcoma – after doctors, tragically, thought she had picked up a rugby injury.
He’s raising money for The Esme Orike Foundation – a charity dedicated to funding critical research into rare and deadly cancers.
For anyone who has a couple of spare quid going, visit justgiving.com/page/grampy-is-going-on-a-bike-ride.
DEFENDANTS must be prevented from bringing untrained “emotional support” animals into courtrooms, judges have now been told.
Several cases in recent months have been rudely disrupted by barking Bedlington terriers and meowing moggies.
Officials have sent an alert to courts clamping down on “animals that are little more than family pets” being dispatched to sit on defendants’ laps.
I mean, who could possibly have seen this coming?
Steve’s gone hip too
IT’S a lazy stereotype that still gets bandied around.
But finally, the myth of the “white van man” has been dismantled.
A new poll suggests that today’s handymen are more likely to do yoga, recycle and have a six-step skincare regime than wolf-whistle at passing women and have “images of saucy women” lying around.
Indeed, my decorator, a very nice chap called Steve, listens to mindfulness podcasts when he’s repainting my dog-eared walls, and stops every hour on the hour to pop into the “malasana” hip-opening position.
He also brings his own calorie-controlled packed lunches, and plays nine holes of golf after work.
A reformed character – he spent two years in HMP Wandsworth for aggravated GBH – he is now a devout member of AA, and regularly preaches the 12 steps to me. (A hint I wilfully ignore.)
MUCH has been written about madman Trump’s tariff lunacy.
But maybe, just maybe, there’s (some) method to it.
Whatever the eventual outcome – and surely it’s too early to speculate with any certainty – this marks the end of globalisation as we know it.
The President’s protectionism should also prove a catalyst for post-Brexit Great Britain to follow suit, and start protecting its own.
As The Donald might say, let’s Make Britain Great Again.