Champion Women, WSPWG Release Results of Petitions Asking Congress, Sports to Prioritize Fairness for Biological Women
Over 5446 athletes, parents, coaches and sports officials and others, including almost 300 Olympians and Paralympians, have signed onto two petitions: The Women’s Sports Policy Working Group positions and model legislation and the ChampionWomen.com petition that call upon legislatures and sports governance organizations to prioritize fairness and safety for females over blanket transgender inclusion or exclusion in girls’ and women’s competitive sports.
Both petitions ask that legislative bodies and sports organizations ensure that females receive equal opportunities to participate in competitive sports, in the same fair and safe competitive environment as afforded to male athletes.
Sports are sex-segregated around the world, in recognition of the biological, male-puberty athletic advantage. This universal practice is not about privacy, modesty, or to make up for past sex discrimination. Instead, sex-segregated sport is necessary to provide females – half the world’s population – with equal opportunities to participate. It is the only legal basis to continue the practice of sex-segregation.
• Read the full signed petition here
From the onset of male puberty, male bodies develop to be faster, stronger, and more powerful than female bodies as a group. The performance gap emerging from that point forward ranges from 8% to 50% depending on the sport and event. The more explosive strength the sport or event requires, the bigger the gap between males and females.
In the unlikely event that sports were to be completely redesigned, to be segregated based on some objective physical criteria other than biological sex, e.g., height, weight, bone size, lung size, or wingspan, males would dominate these new categories. Only biological sex-categories can guarantee females a fair playing field in competitive sports. In other words, females cannot overcome this performance gap with more talent or training, better coaching, facilities, or nutrition.
The WSPWG’s policy position is that sport leaders should work cooperatively to fashion rules so that transgender girls and women are fully welcome into sport. Their sport performances should be respected in girls’ and women’s competitive sports if they are separately scored OR if they can demonstrate that their male post-puberty advantage has been sufficiently mitigated. Similar separate scoring based on performance advantages are already fully accepted in sports, such as age categories, or weight categories in wrestling, rowing, and weightlifting, etc.
People of good faith must be able to come together and envision a girls’ and women’s sport space where all girls and women would be welcome, all girls and women would be respected, all girls and women would experience the same fair competition as boys and men; a place where the competitive achievements of females and transgender girls and women would be equally celebrated. In such a construct, biological sex differences and gender identity differences would be accepted as normal human differences.
2022 is the 50th anniversary of Title IX. We should not be teaching our daughters to be gracious losers to athletes with unfair, insurmountable, biological advantage in their competitive sports.
See the attached list of names of those who agree.
- Please see the WSPWG policies, legal proposals, science, and frequently asked questions here: https://womenssportspolicy.org/
- Please see data on sex discrimination in collegiate athletics here: https://titleixschools.com/2020/06/23/eada-data/
| Champion Women |
MERGED | WSPWG | TOTAL | |
| OLYMPIAN / PARALYMPIAN / U.S. National Team | 213 | 284 13 members of WSPWG |
94 | 297 |
| COMPETITIVE ATHLETES | 1694 | 1011 | 2705 | |
| FAMILY MEMBER | 772 | 93 | 865 | |
| SPORTS OFFICIAL | 46 | 12 | 58 | |
| RECREATIONAL | 103 | 316 | 419 | |
| SWIMMING FAN | 214 | 57 | 271 | |
| OTHERS | 159 | 292 | 451 | |
| SIGNED, BUT DID NOT WANT NAME PUBLIC | 0 | 393 | 393 | |
| TOTAL | 3201 | 2268 | 5446 |
A look at some of the signees
Board Members
Donna de Varona, OLY
Willie Banks, OLY
Nancy Hogshead-Makar, J.D., OLY
Juniper Eastwood
Donna Lopiano, Ph.D.
Chris Evert, OLY
Martina Navratilova, OLY
Joanna Harper
Tracy Sundlun
Wendy Hilliard, U.S. National Team
Micki King, OLY
Edwin Moses, OLY
Benita Fitzgerald Mosley, OLY
Diana Nyad
Renee Richards
Sanya Richards-Ross, OLY
Sally Roberts, U.S. National Team
Lyn St. James
Pam Shriver, OLY
Inge Thompson, OLY
Olympians/National Team Athletes
Kara Adams, Olympian
Nick Alexander, U.S. National Team Member*
Gary Anderson, Olympian and Coach
Susan Anderson, Olympian*
Sue Pitt Anderson, Olympian*
Anthony Annunziata, Paralympian
Sherry Ashmore, Paralympian and Coach
Anne Audian, Olympian*
Terry Auda-Frederick, Olympian
Tatiana B, Paralympian
Tela Bacher, Olympian and Coach**
Katherine Bald, Olympian**
Don Barcome, Olympian**
Jane Barkman Brown, Olympian and Coach**
Brenda Barlett, Olympian*
Chris Barlow, Olympian and Coach
Beth Barr Gifford, Olympian and Coach
Greg Barton, Olympian*
Michael Bayer, Olympian, Paralympian*
Craig Beardsley, Olympian and Coach
TannerBenaitis, Olympian, College
Laura Bennett, Paralympian and Coach
Ryan T. Berube, Olympian**
Alexis Bibby, Paralympian and Coach
Tito Biebel, Paralympian
Peter Bishop, Olympian, Paralympian*
Hanna Blewett, Paralympian and Coach
Molly Boktin, Olympian*
Brenda Borgh Bartlett, Olympian
Jay Bowerman, Olympian*
Mary Bradburne, Olympian, Paralympian*
Carol Brown, Olympian**
Erika Brown, Olympian**
Patricia Brown, Olympian*
Shane Browne, Olympian
Dan Brownell, Olympian, Paralympian*
Michael Burley, Olympian*
Meredith Burney, U.S. National Team
Kyra Cabanzo, Paralympian and Coach
Kitty Carruthers Conrad, Olympian
Luiz Carvalho, Olympian**
Tracy Caulkins Stockwell, Olympian
Donnalee Carlson, Olympian and Coach
Peter Carruthers, Olympian and Coach
Jeanne Childs-Siragusa, U.S. National Team
Haley Clark, Olympian and Coach**
Kathy Johnson Clarke, Olympian*
Stephen Clarke, Olympian**
Curt Clausen, Olympian, Sport Administrator
Steve Cohen, Olympian and Coach
Duné Coetzee, Olympian
Zain Cole, Olympian*
Kathy Connor, Olympian*
Anthony Corbisiero, U.S. National Team**
Kelley Cory, Olympian
Chris Cota, Paralympian and Coach
Pat Connolly, Olympian and Coach
Madeleine Crippen, Olympian
June Croft, Olympian
Tara Cunningham, Olympian*
Karen Crowfoot, Paralympian
Ramona Daly, Olympian, Paralympian
John Davey, Olympian
Sharron Davies, Olympian
Anna Dawson, Olympian, Coach
Rick DeMont, Olympian and Coach
Rose Diaz, Paralympian and Coach
Claude Demers, Olympian and Coach
Christina Dietzen, Olympian*
Gordon Downie, Olympian and Coach**
Jean Driscoll, Paralympian
Loren Drum, Olympian*
Stephanie Elkins, Olympian
Jessica Em, Olympian and Coach
Claudia Espinoza, Olympian
Alexander Fedorov, National Team
Ali Fenn, Olympian
Heather Feroy, Paralympian and Coach
Sharon Finneran Rittenhouse, Olympian
Jeff Float, Olympian*
John Foley, Olympian
Keith Frostad, Olympian*
Lawrence Frostad, Olympian
Steve G, Paralympian
Goeff Gaberino, Olympian*
Amy Gamble, Olympian*
Jim Galanes, Olympian and Coach
Tristan Gale, Olympian
Lisa Gani, Olympian
Coy Gillenwater, Olympian, Paralympian,
Yolanda Gardner, Olympian
Maureen Gehan Frieze, U.SNational Team Member
Laura Gibson, Olympian and Coach
Kathryn Gibes, Olympian and Coach
Jeannine Grillo, U.S. National Team
Steven Gregg, Olympian
Carol Gonzalez, Paralympian andCoach
Nancy Grieder, Paralympian
Robert Grubbs, Paralympian and Coach
Elise Haan, U.S. National Team*
Nicole Haas, Olympian, Paralympian
Jane Hansen, Olympian
Joan Hansen-Lester, Olympian and Coach**
Shannon Happe, Olympian
Jessica Hardy Meichtry, Olympian*
Rachel Harmon, Olympian*
Sarah Hart, U.S. National Team
Chuck Hartle, Olympian
Sarah Haskins, Olympian*
Peggy Haslach, U.S. National Team*
Ashley Hastings, Olympian, Paralympian
Brett Hawke, Olympian*
Eric Heiden, Olympian
Susan Heon-Preston, Olympian**
Yvonne Hernandez, Olympian, Paralympian
Farrar Hickey, Olympian, Paralympian
Jane Hill, Olympian*
Charles Hodgson, Olympic Coach*
Lara Hooiveld Korhammer, Olympian, Coach**
Jennifer Hooker Brinegar, Olympian, Coach**
Jack Horsley, Olympian and Coach
Karen Humphreys, Olympian and Coach
Kiki Hung, Olympian
LaVonne Idlette, J.D., MBA, Olympian*
Emma Ingrassia, Olympian
Allen James, Olympian, Coach and Administrator
Lacey John, Olympian
Suzy Jones, Olympian
Regina Joyce, Olympian*
Marie Jonik Meyers, Olympian
Ann Jonik, Olympian and Coach
Nabeel Khan, Olympian, Paralympian
Tim Klein, Olympian, Paralympian
Tracy Koleber, Olympian
Amy Kibsey, Paralympian
Micki King, Olympian and Coach
Victoria King, MD, Olympian*
Jennifer Kimble, Olympian
Dawn Kirchner, U.S. National Team**
Kris Kirchner, Olympian*
Tim Klien, Paralympian and Coach
Richard Korhammer, Olympian
Francie Kraker-Goodridge, Olympian
Kerri Lafaurie, Paralympian and Coach
Andrew Larkin, Olympian*
Jennifer Latheef, Paralympian and Coach
Rebeca Levin, Olympian, Paralympian
Leanne Liamero, Olympian, Paralympian
Stacey Liapis-Fuchsgruber, Olympian*
Arlene Limas, Olympian*
Marybeth Linzmeier Dorst, Olympian and Coach
Marty Liquiori, Olympian*
Adam Madarassy, Olympian and Coach
Mariyln Maggio, Paralympian and Coach
David Marsh, Olympian and Coach
Joan Marshall, Paralympian and Coach
Barbara Ann Marshell, Olympian
Amy Martin, Paralympian and Coach
Erin Martin, Olympian
Matsuko Matsuko, Olympian, Paralympian
Debbie Meyer Weber, Olympian and Coach**
Janel McArdle, Olympian
Maggie Mccann, Olympian, Paralympian
Dave McKay, Paralympian
Jan Michaelis Blthouse, Olympian
Glenn Mills, Olympian and Coach
Fernanda Miranda, Olympian
Betsy Mitchell, Olympian
Michelle Mitchel, Olympian*
Lourraine Moller, Olympian*
Martina Moravcova Valko, Olympian and Coach
Wade Moss, Paralympian and Coach
Marie J. Myers, Olympian
John Naber, Olympian**
Anita Nall Richesson, Olympian
Megan Neyer, Olympian
Sandra Nitta, Olympian
Jeanne O’Conner, Olympian
Brett Obara, Olympian, Paralympian
Kathryn Ogle, Olympian, Paralympian
Jennifer O’Neill, Olympian*
Sarah Ouellette, Olympian, Paralympian
Lorinda Parkes Bourn, Paralympian
Lauren Perdue Britt, Olympian
Mary Plant, Olympian**
Mike Plant, Olympian
Vicor Plata, Olympian
Kate Pocock, Olympian*
Allen Poucher, Jr., U.S. National Team*
Stella Preissler, U.S. National Team*
Trina Radke, Olympian and Coach
Kimiko Raheem, Olympian
Lisa Rainsberger, Olympian*
Kiara Ramos, Paralympian
Sherry Rast, Paralympian and Coach
Flavia Ratti, Olympian and Coach
Nadine Raymond, Olympian
Eddie Reese, Olympic, U.S.National Team Coach*
Randy Reese, Olympic, U.S. National Team Coach*
Carolyn Reynolds, Paralympian and Coach
Paul Reynolds, Olympian*
Kim Rhodenbaugh Lewallen, Olympian and Coach
Carolina Richard, Olympian
Pokey Richardson, Olympian*
Anita Richesson, Olympian*
Sharlyne Rivera, Olympian
Michael Roberts, Olympian*
Sally Roberts, USA National Team
Denise Robinson, Olympian, Paralympian
Rita Roca, Olympian, Paralympian
Michelle Rohl, Olympian*
Gail Roper, Olympian**
Gabrielle Rose, Olympian*
Monica Rowland, Olympian*
Suzy Jones Roy, Olympian*
Vicki Rudawsky, Olympian*
Tracey Russell, Paralympian
George Saelzler, Olympian, Paralympian
Gretchen Sandfort, Paralympian
Karol Schaefer, Olympian
Deena Schmidt, Olympian*
Brandi Skinner, Olympian, College
Paul Sparkes, Olympian
Nikola Savcic, Olympian
Dana Schoenfield Reyes, Olympian
Tripp Schwenk, Olympian and Coach
Carwai Seto, Olympian
Alexis Shanklin, Paralympian and Coach
Erin Shean, Olympian
Bryan Shirley, Olympian
Frances Slater-Smith, Paralympian
Kathy Smith Connor, U.S. National Team
Mary Smith, Olympian and Coach
Ricky Smith, Olympian
Tracy Smith, Olympian*
Julie Sommer, U.S. National Team*
Melissa Sorenson, Paralympian
Paul Sparkes, Olympian and Coach
Carrie Steinseifer-Bates, Olympian
Michael Stenburg, Paralympian and Coach
Jane Swagerly Hill, Olympian
Jill Sterkel, Olympian and Coach
Malin Stroemberg, Olympian and Coach
Daedre Sullivan, U.S. National Team
Ashley Tappin-Doussan, Olympian and Coach**
Susan Teeter, Olympian and Coach
Christina Teuscher, Olympian and Coach
Samuel Thayer, Olympian
Melanie Thomas, Olympian
Kathy Thomas Young, Olympian
Camille Thompson, Olympian
Inga Thompson, Olympian*
Daniel Tielsch, Olympian, Paralympian
Nicholas Toia, Olympian
Jessica Tomas, Olympian, Paralympian
Allison Townsend, U.S. National Team
Melanie Townsend, Paralympian and Coach
David Trapani, Olympian, Paralympian
Tori Trees-Smith, Olympian
Cathy Treible, U.S. National Team*
Michele Troisi, Olympian, Paralympian
Leslee Trzcinski, U.S. National Team, Cycling**
Cathy Turner, Olympian *
Allen Turnipseed, Paralympian
Sheri Twenge, Olympian, Paralympian
Saray Vilayhane, Olympian, Paralympian
Kelly Vogel, Olympian, Paralympian
Susan Von der Lippe, Olympian
Megan Wagoner, Paralympian and Coach
Jacqueline Walmer, Olympian, Paralympian
Michael Wall, Olympian*
Sue Walsh, Olympian and Coach
Wendy Weil, Olympian*
Wendy Weinberg, Olympian
Rhyan White, Olympian**
Amara Williams, Olympian
Renee Williams, Olympian, Paralympian
Melanie Wolf, Paralympian and Coach
Leslie Wright, Olympian*
Kathy Young, Olympian*
Kana Yuizaki, Paralympian and Coach
Natasha Zamula, Olympian**
Jian Zhao, Olympian, Paralympian
Julia Zubero, Olympian*
No Asterisk: signed the Champion Women Petition to USA Swimming
*One Asterisks: Signed the WSPWG Petition
**Two Asterisks: Signed Both Petitions
— The above press release was posted by Swimming World in conjunction with Champion Women. For press releases and advertising inquiries please contact Advertising@SwimmingWorld.com.
Nice to see some common sense activism rising. They are, however, still trying to walk the fence if they are willing to entertain some totally subjective standard of “sufficiently mitigated male post puberty advantage.” If you are willing accept that, you are essentially still accepting boy’s/men’s in girl’s/women’s sports. And that is objectively irrefutable.
Yes, Chuck, kicking that can down the road is considered what must be done for immediate “gains” and what those gains are I can’t fathom. Signalling takes the pressure valve down a notch. I despair for biological women these days on all fronts. Even other biological women aren’t fighting the way they used too with their Patriarchal collars (i.e. jobs) firmly around their necks. There’s too much to lose in supporting women these days.
Again with everyone bending over backwards to humor the delusion that there is a subcategory of women composed of men who feel like women.
What other group gets the whole world to rewrite rules for their benefit?