Laurel Hubbard will make history at the Tokyo Olympics. Photo / Photosport
Laurel Hubbard will make history at the Tokyo Olympics. Photo / Photosport
A top New Zealand academic and former athlete is urging critics of weightlifter Laurel Hubbard to review their stance, warning some opinions are outdated and "misogynistic".
Hubbard was selected by the New Zealand Olympic Committee (NZOC) as one of five Kiwi weightlifters set to don the fern at the upcomingTokyo Olympic Games.
But the 43-year old's historic achievement sparked controversy from others who insist she has an unfair advantage. One of which being British television personality Piers Morgan, who said the decision was a "disaster for women's sport".
However, AUT senior lecturer Lexie Matheson said transgender athletes at the Olympics wasn't a new concept and rejected claims Hubbard's inclusion would have a negative effect on women's sport.
"In 2002 the IOC made it possible for transgender athletes to compete at the Olympics and it's now almost 20 years later that we've had one," she said. "So that puts to bed one of the main criticisms that once transgender athletes are let in the door, they're going to take over, women's sport will never be women's sport again and it'll just be a whole lot of hairy men in dresses taking over the Olympics.
"Transgender people make up 0.3 per cent of the population, half of them are trans men, most of them don't compete in sport at all and very few compete at the top level. We're not a threat to anybody."
Laurel Hubbard will make history at the Tokyo Olympics. Photo / Photosport
Under the IOC guidelines, athletes who transition from male to female to compete in the women's category must prove their testosterone levels are below 10 nanomiles per litre for at least 12 months prior to their first competition.
Matheson has been involved in a number of sporting codes, both as an athlete and at a board level, and has contributed to work around enabling trans athletes the right to compete.
She said while it's complex, the science was correct.
"There are things about body shape that don't change, but I've been through this process ... I'm living proof of what happens to the muscles when you've spent a decade gobbling down estrogen and testosterone blockers every day," she said.
"I really worry about the misogynistic aspect of a lot of the criticism, it's based around 'man big and strong, women small and little,' it's all based around that stuff which isn't correct at all. Have a look at Laurel and the people she's competing with, they're all the same size as she is."
Matheson added it was important to recognise the hard work done behind Hubbard's achievement.
"We should be celebrating a new New Zealand Olympian and we should be getting behind her," she said. "She could be a great champion."
