Coach Linda Blade joins Sasha & Stella for an incredible conversation about the critical issues surrounding fairness and inclusivity in women's sports. They explore the challenges and biases faced by female athletes in the wake of transgender athletes competing in women's categories, particularly the profound psychological impact. The conversation also sheds light on the rich historical context of fairness in competition.
Dr. Linda Blade is a former Canadian Champion (1986) and a full scholarship NCAA All American (1984) in Track & Field. As a Chartered Professional Coach, Linda has worked internationally for over 30 years with hundreds of athletes. Her expertise has extended to leadership roles (selected): Provincial President (2014 -2023) of Athletics Alberta, where she developed sex-based eligibility guidelines; Co-author of UNSPORTING: How Trans Activism and Science Denial are Destroying Sport (2021); Collaborator in the establishment of the International Consortium on Female Sport (ICFS). Linda has been publicly advocating for the fairness and safety of female athletes since 2018. Dr. Blade will be presenting at Genspect’s The Bigger Picture Conference in Denver, CO.
Don’t miss this valuable discussion emphasizing the importance of sex-based policies for fostering a fair competition environment. Dr. Blade even offers insights into the use of puberty blockers in youth sports, highlighting the potential risks and implications for young athletes, and also the challenges with data collection and analysis.
The conversation also touches on the question of intersex conditions and how they have influenced elite women's sports, underscoring the need for thoughtful policies and guidelines to address DSD (differences in sexual development), ensuring fairness and inclusivity while respecting the unique circumstances of athletes like Caster Semenya, a South African intersex olympic athlete. This is an engaging episode offering a vital perspective on the complexities of balancing inclusivity with fairness.
Attend Genspect’s: The Bigger Picture
https://genspect.org/the-bigger-picture-continues-denver-colorado/
Find Coach Blade on Twitter: @coachblade
More About Coach Blade:
https://worldathletics.org/personal-best/lifestyle/linda-blade-life-in-athletics
Unsporting: How Trans Activism and Science Denial are Destroying Sport
https://www.unsporting.com/
Women's Rights, Gender Wrongs: the global impact of gender-identity ideology
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Womens-Rights-Gender-Wrongs-gender-identity/dp/1739265602
Contribute to the International Consortium of Female Sport
https://www.icfsport.org/
Contribute to The Independent Council on Women's Sports (ICONS)
https://www.iconswomen.com/
Contribute to Champion Women
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.widerlenspod.com/subscribe
Gender: A Wider Lens