4d ago

Trans teen’s chess win in Germany prompts backlash

www.advocate.com

Edit, because I forgot to add crosspost link:

kbin.earth/m/lgbtqplus@lemmy.blahaj.zone/t/1563826/Trans-teen-s-chess-win-in-Germany-prompts-backlash#comments

Nadja Jussupow, head of the German Commission for Women’s Chess and a former champion, stated that more trans women have been entering women’s tournaments since Germany’s Self-Determination Act took effect in 2021. The Times reports that she claimed some cisgender women players were considering quitting, fearing unfair competition.

Mfw women are covertly anti-feminist. Lady, either we're equally good, as individuals, equally different/equally the same realms, or we aren't.

Same for my religious kin. Either God made us all who we are, via nature, nurture and both, or S/he didn't. We need to get over ourselves and out of our own way. Obviously including myself.

LGBTQ+ @lemmy.blahaj.zone

squirrel @lemmy.blahaj.zone

4d ago

Trans teen’s chess win in Germany prompts backlash

www.advocate.com /news/german-transgender-teen-chess

10 comments

I'm in favor of removing the gender divided leagues in chess anyway, and this is just another situation that could have been entirely avoided if so.
Chess isn't a physical sport, and trans players shouldn't be forced to make a "damned if you do/don't" choice when determining which league is the right one for them to participate in.
- But think of the fragile egos!
  
  A few ego deaths fixes that pdq.
- There is no division in chess, there's an open to all genders category and a women's only category.
That's a very complex topic, and I am unsure of a solution. Chess is not a physical competition, so why is there even a separation by gender?
Historically, chess was almost exclusively played by men. Not because they were smarter, but because women lacked the opportunity.
Since there's no reason why women shouldn't enjoy chess, they were allowed to join tournaments, but that didn't really help to increase the player count. From what I’ve heard, they weren’t really taken seriously and were disrespected by their opponents.
A counterpoint comes from a former female champion who apparently doesn't agree with that. She claimed in a recent discussion:
"Nadja Jussupow, head of the German Commission for Women’s Chess and a former champion, stated that more trans women have been entering women’s tournaments since Germany’s Self-Determination Act took effect in 2021. Some cisgender women considered quitting... fearing unfair competition."
Since I wasn't completely familiar with the "Self-Determination Act," I looked it up and it was only passed in 2024? So I have no idea what Jussupow is referring to. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-Determination_Act_(Germany)
Maybe they all watched the Futurama episode where Bender becomes a "fembot" to easily win the robot Olympics, but that kind of thing happens very rarely.
As a trans person myself, this is sad. I and most others I've talked to, just want to be recognized as normal women. So it always hurts twice as much when "real" women proclaim that we aren't valid and are just doing this to gain an advantage.
- I feel the same. Another user in another thread was miffed at the idea of no exclusive safe spaces. I'm of the opinion every space can be a safe space, but bravery is necessarily going to be involved in making that happen.
  I know other people have made this another BS culture war. I haven't, and I'm standing with my sisters. JK Rowling can have her meltdowns. We sidestep them and keep doing the work to create the reality we want. 🫂🌈
  
  I am a woman and I know what misogyny is, I’ve experienced it many times. But I don’t think the solution is to do gatekeeping. I like to be among women with good vibes, but I also like to be among men with good vibes. As an engineer I worked among men all the time and I never thought of them in terms of gender, or superiority. They were my colleagues, as the few women in the office too. One could find assholes in both of the genders. One could find intelligent or stupid among both.
  I understand that phisically there are differences, in strength and maybe size(although there are variations in both men ans women), but mentally there is absolutely no reason to keep competitions separate. Sports it’s probably complicated, but I don’t watch sports, I rather do them than watch others do it, so I will not share any opinion on which is the best approach.
  I was subscribed to a community here on Lemmy, with women topics. In one of the posts there was a gentleman offering some kind words and praise to the OP I think. And he was thanked and then told to please not post anymore there, since it is a women only space. It actually infuriated me. Instead of rewarding the men who support women and have kind words about them, we are shutting them down? I immediately blocked that community. I don’t want that kind of shit in my life.
  I know we all have our issues that we have to work on, but we should try not to drag innocent people into our battles.
some cisgender women players were considering quitting, fearing unfair competition.
What a joke. They're making up grievances.
- I think most othering falls into the made-up grievances category.

10 comments