Packers legend Brett Favre butts in on transgender debate - “It’s scary”
Brett Favre took time to weigh on the debate about transgender athletes in sport. In a wide ranging interview that took into account various issues related to current politics, the former Packers great said that it's unfair to allow biological males, who identify as transgender females, to compete in women's sports.
Brett Favre also added that he's uncomfortable with transgender people who are biologically male using places such as restrooms intended for girls and women. He categorically said that he believes it to be the wrong notion and feels that such allowances are scary.
Speaking to Jason Whitlock on the Fearless Podcast, Brett Favre said:
"To think that a young man who identifies as a girl, I don't understand it — just hear me out — can go into a girl's bathroom and use the restroom with girls, and for us to think that's OK, I think is wrong. I'm sorry… I just think some things we're allowing in this country are beyond belief … Some of the thoughts and beliefs we're seeing are crazy."
Brett Favre endorses Donald Trump over Joe Biden
In the same interview, Brett Favre also said he likes Donald Trump more than Joe Biden, who he says does not seem to care about American citizens. He feels the country was in a better place with the former president:
"I think our country was in better shape with him (Trump) … I think Donald was a non-political president, and I liked that about him. Was he perfect? Absolutely not. Am I perfect? Absolutely not. I'm flawed just like the rest of 'em.
"We're all flawed. But I really felt like he had our country in a better place and really cared about our people in our country. Black, white, Hispanic, Asian — you name it. I think if you were an American citizen, he cared about you, first and foremost. I don't know if our current president (Joe Biden) has the same mentality."
Current rules regarding transgender athletes in sports
The International Olympic Committee operates on a "no presumption of advantage" for transgender athletes unless "evidence-based approach" proves otherwise. It says, among other points:
"No athlete should be precluded from competing or excluded from competition on the exclusive ground of an unverified, alleged, or perceived unfair competitive advantage due to their sex variations, physical appearance, and/or transgender status."
The U.S. Olympic & Paralympic committee says:
"When considering participation in sport, we rely on fairness as our guiding principle. It is not fair if athletes cannot participate or compete in sport because of their gender identity. ... Similarly, it is not fair if an athlete must face unreasonable field of play safety risks or a much-reduced chance for success in competitive sport due to sex-linked physiology."
Currently, the US Congress is hearing testimonies from athletes on this issue, and future rules and norms may arise from that.