Government scraps transgender-inclusive sport guidelines

A win for commonsense

The government’s recent decision to scrap the transgender-inclusive community sport guidelines is a move I fully support. These guidelines, originally promoted by Sport NZ, were meant to encourage inclusion for transgender athletes in all levels of community sport. While inclusion is important, fairness in competition cannot be ignored.

The good news for men who identify as women is that they can still play sports – in the male category, of course. This ensures that no one is unfairly advantaged while still allowing participation. It seems only logical - if you are biologically male, you compete with other males.

One thing I find strange is that women who identify as men rarely rush to play in men’s competitions. The reasons for this are likely personal, social, and cultural, but the contrast highlights the importance of clear rules that maintain fair competition.

While the usual players on the left have framed the scrapping of these guidelines as discriminatory, the reality is that sport relies on fairness above all. Removing these guidelines does not prevent participation; it simply ensures that men and women compete on a level playing field.

This decision, guided by the government’s coalition agreements, reflects a common-sense approach: inclusion where possible, but fairness always comes first in competitive sport.