In what is shaping up to be a landmark year for transgendered athletes in sports, LPGA players today voted to allow transgendered golfers the opportunity to play on tour.
Lana Lawless of San Francisco sued the LPGA because she (though formerly a “he”) claimed that the LPGA’s rule that golfers must be female at birth violated California’s civil rights laws. Her lawsuit also attempted to block the LPGA from holding events in California. Instead of bringing the matter to court, the tour decided to allow Lawless the chance to play professionally.
Lawless won the long-drive world championship in 2008 before being barred the next year by the Long Drivers of America, who also played the “female at birth” card that the LPGA used before the lawsuit. So it’s not as if she’s just a troublemaker – she obviously has a good chance of being successful on tour.
It can be argued that transgendered players have the unfair advantage of developing stronger muscles (as a male) before their sex change procedures. But it would be wrong to assume that people make golf a major consideration in deciding to become a woman.
And whatever your views on gay rights, it seems logical that anybody who is technically a woman should be allowed to play on the LPGA Tour. After all, judging by last night’s vote, it made sense to the players.
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