Parents Outraged - Trans-Identifying Boy Wins Girls’ Irish Dancing Competition

[One Bad Pig]

One of the things the parents complained about was the "physical advantage".

I love Irish dancing, and know it's incredibly physically demanding, but I honestly don't know enough about the physiology to know that a boy would have an advantage here - like we know in swim or other sports, there would most definitely be a physical advantage.

A boy's increased lung capacity would absolutely help.

[Cow Poke]

A boy's increased lung capacity would absolutely help.

EGGcellent point - I was thinking specifically about leg muscles, and whether a boy's physique would be an asset or a hindrance -- like 'long muscles' would be great for track, but short muscles would be great for body building and weight lifting...

[rogue06]

One of the things the parents complained about was the "physical advantage".

I love Irish dancing, and know it's incredibly physically demanding, but I honestly don't know enough about the physiology to know that a boy would have an advantage here - like we know in swim or other sports, there would most definitely be a physical advantage.

Apparently boys can do some moves better than girls due to being stronger, such as multiple heel clicks, but OTOH, the girls preform slip jigs better. The thing is that the dance style emphasizes speed and endurance where a male has an advantage.

FWIU, the boy who won placed 11th in a worldwide competition this Spring where he competed as a boy.

[Sparko]

One of the things the parents complained about was the "physical advantage".

I love Irish dancing, and know it's incredibly physically demanding, but I honestly don't know enough about the physiology to know that a boy would have an advantage here - like we know in swim or other sports, there would most definitely be a physical advantage.

Same. I can see if they were picking up partners to do dance moves (like ballet) but the only irish dancing I have seen is really fancy footwork which I think would not make much diff between boy or girl.

[Cow Poke]

Same. I can see if they were picking up partners to do dance moves (like ballet) but the only irish dancing I have seen is really fancy footwork which I think would not make much diff between boy or girl.

But as OBP pointed out, such dancing is extremely aerobic, so a boy's lung capacity would definitely be a factor.
One of our college students was a world-class Irish dancer, and she would tell you "you have to learn to smile with your mouth open while dancing, because you're moving tons of air".

[Sparko]

But as OBP pointed out, such dancing is extremely aerobic, so a boy's lung capacity would definitely be a factor.
One of our college students was a world-class Irish dancer, and she would tell you "you have to learn to smile with your mouth open while dancing, because you're moving tons of air".

That would probably depend on how big the boy is compared to a typical girl.

I found what appears to be a picture of the boy and he looks pretty skinny and not any taller than the girls. In the center standing on "1"

irish-dancing.webp.jpg

from:
https://ethicsalarms.com/2023/12/07/...tion-now-what/

[CivilDiscourse]

I mean really, a girl couldn't beat a boy here?

I would wager that this isn't in the same category as other sports. This isn't an athletic competition, but instead an "interpretive judging" competition. As such, the unfair advantage isn't really coming from biology, but more from politics.

[rogue06]

That would probably depend on how big the boy is compared to a typical girl.

I found what appears to be a picture of the boy and he looks pretty skinny and not any taller than the girls. In the center standing on "1"

irish-dancing.webp.jpg

from:
https://ethicsalarms.com/2023/12/07/...tion-now-what/

While reading up on this I ran across this image because the writer said he couldn't find one of the biological boy in question so he posted one of someone else from an earlier event.

FWICT, they divide the dancers into sexes because they dance differently, with the boys being typically performing faster and more athletic exhibitions.

[Bill the Cat]

One of the things the parents complained about was the "physical advantage".

I love Irish dancing, and know it's incredibly physically demanding, but I honestly don't know enough about the physiology to know that a boy would have an advantage here - like we know in swim or other sports, there would most definitely be a physical advantage.

There is a reason that the girl's category exists.

[CivilDiscourse]

While reading up on this I ran across this image because the writer said he couldn't find one of the biological boy in question so he posted one of someone else from an earlier event.

FWICT, they divide the dancers into sexes because they dance differently, with the boys being typically performing faster and more athletic exhibitions.

Honestly, I think the "unfair advantage" here is probably less physical, and more political. These competitions are, after all, judged on subjective criteria....