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A man, identifying as a transgender woman, recently dominated a female weightlifting competition, sparking debate on fairness in sports.
Gavin Hubbard, 39 — now going by Laurel Hubbard — is a New Zealand weightlifter who dominated the Australian International weightlifting competition in Melbourne on Sunday. Hubbard lifted 590.9 pounds in the women’s 198.4-pound division, out-lifting the competition by 45 pounds.
Hubbard is the first transgender individual to win her division in this competition.
While many may find this progressive and a reason to celebrate, some of Hubbard’s competitors aren’t seeing it quite that way.
“She is who she is. That’s the way the politics … and what the New Zealanders have decided. I can’t say much more than that,” disappointed bronze medalist Kaitlyn Fassina said. “She is seen as female and that’s the way it is.”
Two-time Olympian Deborah Acason said, “If I was in that category, I wouldn’t feel like I was in an equal situation. I just feel that, if it’s not even, why are we doing the sport?”