The International Chess Federation (FIDE) says it is temporarily banning transgender women from competing in its women’s events.
The FIDE said individual cases would require “further analysis” and that a decision could take up to two years.
The move has been criticised by some players and enthusiasts.
Many sports governing bodies have been working on policies towards transgender athletes, but chess does not involve comparable levels of physical activity.
Equally interesting study comes to the conclusion: gender differences in chess go back on the overrepresentation of men in chess in general
Article on the research: Why Men Rank Higher than Women at Chess (It’s Not Biological)
I don’t have access to what seems to be the actual study, but maybe you do: Why are (the best) women so good at chess? Participation rates and gender differences in intellectual domains
Yes, I found the participation rate argument very sound.
I wonder what else might be similarly biased?
I think the culinary domain is very interesting for it’s seemingly paradoxical take that, at home, women not only belong but are far more capable than men in the kitchen, but as soon as the endeavor becomes competitive and professional, men traditionally (not always, of course) gatekeep the professional kitchen because suddenly talent and taste aren’t enough, one must be an officer in Escoffier’s army, quick to abuse yourself and others while wearing a silly hat.
Two examples come to mind:
Medical test subjects are predominantly if not exclusively male. So any new medication on the market are tailored for the physis and metabolism of a male body while the same medication might have different effects (including side effects) when it comes to women.
Scientific findings are often based on male bias, e.g. the remains of a high status person were declared being male. Only decades later with new technology was it possible to determine it was in fact a women. (See the Ivory man)
But this conversation would deserve its.owm thread. The OP post is regarding how women (cis and transgendered people) are treated in chess. The absurdity of backwards thinking and unfairness when it comes to treating women and men as assigned at birth. I’m not sure, if you missed the part where transgendered men are stripped of their titles when transitioning to male, while people transitioning to female are allowed to keep theirs.
This goes so much deeper. Like another commenter posted: “institutionalized patriarchy”
This is awesome! Thanks for the info