Concerns about fairness and safety skyrocketed across the West in recent years as transgender competitors have been increasingly allowed to participate — and often dominate — sports created for biological females. 

Slowly but surely, a growing number of women and girls are deciding to forfeit any competition against biologically male athletes, particularly in events for which a display of brute power is a decisive factor. Many social commentators have argued that such refusal by female athletes is the best way to reverse the current course.

If sporting officials are clearly going to allow men to compete against women – then it is up to female athletes to be brave and step away from competing until men are banned.

Bottom line? If this keeps happening women’s sport is dead. https://t.co/5lAW2kGj2q

— Melinda Richards 🇦🇺🇺🇸 (@goodfoodgal) March 19, 2023

A recent boxing event in Canada was canceled when one of the pugilists, Katia Bissonnette, learned that she has been paired against a transgender fighter. She withdrew from the Provincial Golden Glove Championship and released a subsequent statement after biological male Mya Walmsley was named the winner by default.

“Women shouldn’t have to bear the physical and psychological risks brought by a man’s decision regarding his personal life and identity,” Bissonnette said. “There should be two categories: biological male and female.”

Her concerns are bolstered not only by the record of trans fighters in bouts against females, but also through studies like one from the University of Utah that showed biological men deliver punches as much as 163% more powerful than women.

Walmsley, on the other hand, found a way to make transgender athletes the victim in Bissonnette’s decision to drop out of a fight against a biological man.  

“This kind of behavior puts athletes at risk of being excluded or receiving personal attacks based on hearsay,” Walmsley claimed in reference to Bissonnette’s public statement. “I am afraid that this type of accusation could eventually be used to delegitimize athletes in the women’s category and justify arbitrary and invasive regulations.”

It is worth noting that Walmsley was not required to undergo hormone testing that are required for transgender athletes by various governing bodies — including the International Olympic Committee.

Last year, Alliance Defending Freedom compiled a list of more than two dozen examples from a wide range of sports that showed the dominance of transgender competitors against their biologically female rivals.

At the time, the organization was defending West Virginia lawmakers against an American Civil Liberties Union lawsuit targeting the state’s Save Women’s Sports Act, which sought to prevent males from competing in female sports.