The world’s top chess federation has ruled that transgender women cannot compete in its official events for females until an assessment of gender change is made by its officials.

  • NewEnglandRedshirt@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    Wow. The argument against trans women in sports is already unscientific enough. Why is chess even split into gendered categories? This just makes zero sense.

    • binkster@lemm.ee
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      1 year ago

      It is generally not, most tournaments anyone can enter. However, there are women-only tournaments because for a lot of social and historical reasons, men dominate the open tournaments.

      Interesting side-note fact on the power of social norms: if a woman and man play without knowing each other’s gender the woman will be more likely to win than she would if either party is made aware.

          • Mouselemming@sh.itjust.works
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            1 year ago

            Seriously, a lot of people would play better chess if they weren’t intimidated by their opponent. Unless you consider headology part of the game, the way it is in poker and Cripple-Mister-Onion.

    • Lmaydev@programming.dev
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      1 year ago

      I believe it’s done mainly to encourage women to play. More than any genetic differences like other sports.

      I feel like as it makes very little difference, so letting trans people play either doesn’t really matter.

      • gAlienLifeform@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        Except it’s going to discourage AMAB women from playing, so that excuse for this bigoted policy doesn’t hold water