Editor's note on 7/1/2024- This 3-year-old thread is getting a lot of clicks as lots of people are googling Nikki Hiltz after NBC published an article "Transgender runner Nikki Hiltz is headed to the Paris Olympics" on her making the Olympic team. The article did not explain that Hiltz's is a biological female. Hiltz also is also not on testosterone as World Athletics forbids that.
What are Nikki’s pronouns in French? Elles sont à Paris? Ils sont à Paris? The French announcers will have a headache with it.
Although controversial in some quarters, the gender neutral personal pronoun « iel » is becoming accepted among the young in spoken French.
« Iel est à Paris »
Okay, I wasn’t aware of that term but in French there still needs to be gender agreement between pronouns and adjectives (and sometimes verbs such as when a relative pronoun to passé composé or with the verb être conjugated in passé composé). So is it “iel est beau” or “iel est belle”? “iel est parti” or “iel est partie”? And how about other languages that don’t have a “gender neutral pronoun”?
Nikki definatly isn't transgender,despite what she says. If she were trans,she'd be taking male hormones,use male pronouns,and become a man. She would then be a HE, not a they. I'm lgbtq so i know. Many true trans people would not accept her as trans. Non binary isn't trans.
Non-binary is still trans, because non-binary people still experience dysphoria about their birth sex, but you're right, many true trans people wouldn't accept Nikki. Many would.
This divide has always existed in the trans community, and being trans doesn't mean you'll automatically agree with all other trans people about all aspects of that experience. (Even saying that makes it sound as ridiculous as it is.)
But lots of people who have adopted a trans or other novel gender identity foday do not have "dysphoria." Meaning discomfort, distress, anxiety, alienation, disassociation, shame or/and other kinds of strong negative feelings related to their sex and/or to the set of stereotypes, norms, roles, expectations, customs and standards associated with their sex in their culture and era.
On the other hand, plenty of people who have not adopted a trans or other special gender identity have spent a good portion of their lives experiencing enormous unhappiness, anxiety, alienation, disassociation, self-loathing, shame, despair, etc about one, some or all those things.
Advocates for Trans Equality - the new USA org founded in 2024 when the National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE) and Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund (TLDEF) merged - says on its website:
Not all transgender people have gender dysphoria. Many transgender people do not experience serious anxiety or stress associated with the difference between their gender identity and their gender of birth, and so may not have gender dysphoria.
American Psychological Association:
Some people who are transgender will experience “gender dysphoria,” which refers to psychological distress that results from an incongruence between one’s sex assigned at birth and one’s gender identity.
Not all transgender people suffer from gender dysphoria.
Human Rights Campaign:
though many transgender and non-binary people experience gender dysphoria, it is not a necessary requirement to identify as transgender or non-binary. Some transgender people never experience gender dysphoria, or only feel it at certain points in their life.
Also, many people who call themselves "trans" today do not take hormones or make any other changes to their bodies. Some don't even make superficial changes to their appearance.
The meaning of "trans" today has become so watered down that no "transition" is required. Again from the Human Rights Campaign:
What does it mean to transition? Gender transition is the process through which a transgender or non-binary person takes steps to live authentically in their true gender identity. It is a personal process that looks different for every transgender and non-binary person, and individual paths do not always follow the same order. Some people take medication, and some do not; some adults have surgeries, and others do not. For some people, it can include steps as simple as changing clothes, names and hairstyles
But some people today don't even go so far as to change their clothes or hair. For many nowadays, being "trans" involves nothing more than deciding you are, adopting a new gender identity label, and telling others that you've adopted it. Again from HRC:
How do I know if I'm transgender or non-binary? If you feel as though your gender identity may be different from your sex assigned at birth, you may consider identifying as transgender or non-binary.
How do I know if someone else is transgender or non-binary? There is no one way to determine if someone is transgender or non-binary. Instead, you can know if someone is transgender or non-binary only if they are open about their identity or otherwise choose to tell you.
From what I can tell about Nikola Hiltz, she has no desire to transition into a male but at the same time seems to be uncomfortable with her butch-presenting female form.
It makes total sense that she has chosen to be known as They Them, because it both distances her from being looked at as a ‘dyke’ type female and at the same time communicates that she does not want to become a trans male. It gives her the ambiguity she seeks with the benefit of being trendy in this moment of non binary hype
From what I can tell about Nikola Hiltz, she has no desire to transition into a male but at the same time seems to be uncomfortable with her butch-presenting female form.
It makes total sense that she has chosen to be known as They Them, because it both distances her from being looked at as a ‘dyke’ type female and at the same time communicates that she does not want to become a trans male. It gives her the ambiguity she seeks with the benefit of being trendy in this moment of non binary hype
Actually, Nikki has stated that once they are done with their competitive life, they would be likely to at least get top surgery and begin taking testosterone. They are avoiding it for now because of WADA more or less.
Actually, Nikki has stated that once they are done with their competitive life, they would be likely to at least get top surgery and begin taking testosterone. They are avoiding it for now because of WADA more or less.
How do doctors rationalize giving a healthy woman testosterone? If a young healthy man asks a doctor for testosterone, they will be turned away, hence the black market for bodybuilding drugs.
Although controversial in some quarters, the gender neutral personal pronoun « iel » is becoming accepted among the young in spoken French.
« Iel est à Paris »
Okay, I wasn’t aware of that term but in French there still needs to be gender agreement between pronouns and adjectives (and sometimes verbs such as when a relative pronoun to passé composé or with the verb être conjugated in passé composé). So is it “iel est beau” or “iel est belle”? “iel est parti” or “iel est partie”? And how about other languages that don’t have a “gender neutral pronoun”?
I demand that you refer to me as the smartest poster on Letsrun. Now you have a real life scenario. I told everyone in my office to refer to me as the smartest person they know.
She can run with the dudes if she/he/they want to. Nobody cares if you want to try your hand against stiffer competition. It’s the opposite that is blatantly unfair.
With a 3:55 PR, they aren’t even fast enough to run against guys at an all-comers meet.
What is it that you want from then? Should they recuse themselves from competing and walk away from some decent money, even though they are eligible under WA rules?Why hasn’t a single female distance runner complained having to compete against them?
No one cares about her pronouns. It has nothing to do with track and field and it just brings more chaos and controversy to a sport that doesn’t need more chaos and controversy. it’s just an attention grab. I was cheering for everyone BUT Hiltz to make that 1500 team.