From LifeSiteNews

By Jonathon Van Maren

If female athletes came together and demanded, with one voice, that female sports be protected, they would be pushing at an open door.

What happens when obvious truths about the differences between the sexes are denied by the elites at the behest of the transgender movement? And what happens when female athletes discover that their rights mean less than the newly invented “rights” of trans-identifying men to invade their spaces?  

We’ve seen the answer to that play out over the past few years. This month alone, a trans-identifying male beat his female competitors at an Oregon track meet by a full six seconds, with the video of him zipping across the finish line sparking outrage; a trans-identifying marathon runner announced that he will be competing in the full set of six marathon majors in Boston in the male, female and “non-binary” categories; and courts in West Virginia and Ohio ruled that trans-identifying males can compete on female sports teams. 

In the meantime, U.K. culture secretary Lucy Frazer called for a ban on males in female sports after meeting with representatives of a number of female sports leagues, writing: 

In competitive sport, biology matters. And where male strength, size and body shape gives athletes an indisputable edge, this should not be ignored. By protecting the female category, they can keep women’s competitive sport safe and fair and keep the dream alive for the young girls who dream of one day being elite sportswomen.

She concluded, “We must get back to giving women a level playing field to compete. We need to give women a sporting chance.” Refreshingly, she called on sporting bodies to take an “unambiguous position” on the matter. 

That, of course, is common sense. What makes Frazer’s statements significant is that she does not, like most politicians trying to thread the needle by accepting transgender ideology but rejecting the inevitable conclusions thereof, make multiple references to “transgender women.” She instead refers to keeping male bodies out of female sports, much to the outrage of trans activists, who insist that males who identify as females are females, and thus have female bodies, because they said so.  

Over the past several years, it has fallen largely to the few female sportswomen who dared to risk the opprobrium of the LGBT movement to speak for the majority and point out the unfairness of allowing males to invade their sporting domains; now, an increasing number are willing to speak out. A recent study conducted by Manchester Metropolitan and Swansea universities, published April 17 in the Journal of Sports Sciences, indicates that the majority of female athletes want women’s sports to be categorized by sex rather than “gender identity.” 

Fifty-eight percent of respondents in the study of elite female athletes wanted categorization by biological sex; that rose to 77 percent among those classified as “world-class athletes” who had competed in Olympic or world championship finals. Researchers surveyed 175 “national, elite and world class female athletes – current and retired – from a range of sports and countries” and included “26 world champions, 22 Olympians and six Paralympians,” making it the largest study of its kind conducted thus far. A BBC Sports study last month found that over 100 elite U.K. female athletes “would be uncomfortable” with trans-identifying males competing in the female categories of their sports. 

According to the study, there is one exception to the rule: the “majority of athletes competing in non-Olympic sports believe changing category should be allowed, with the highest rate of 74% among those in ‘precision’ sports such as archery.”  

In short, the higher female athletes climb, the more likely they are to object to trans-identifying males competing in their categories. Most of these athletes, of course, remain unnamed. Imagine if they came out together and demanded, with one voice, that female sports be protected. It would constitute a cultural sea change – and I suspect the moment is right for them to do so. If they pushed, they would be pushing at an open door. 

Jonathon Van Maren is a public speaker, writer, and pro-life activist. His commentary has been translated into more than eight languages and published widely online as well as print newspapers such as the Jewish Independent, the National Post, the Hamilton Spectator and others. He has received an award for combating anti-Semitism in print from the Jewish organization B’nai Brith. His commentary has been featured on CTV Primetime, Global News, EWTN, and the CBC as well as dozens of radio stations and news outlets in Canada and the United States.

He speaks on a wide variety of cultural topics across North America at universities, high schools, churches, and other functions. Some of these topics include abortion, pornography, the Sexual Revolution, and euthanasia. Jonathon holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in history from Simon Fraser University, and is the communications director for the Canadian Centre for Bio-Ethical Reform.

Jonathon’s first book, The Culture War, was released in 2016.

News release from The Curling Group via Canada Newswire

– New ownership group backed by elite international curlers to invest in growing the sport –
– Sportsnet remains exclusive broadcaster in Canada –

The Curling Group and Sportsnet today announced an agreement for The Curling Group to assume ownership and operations of the Grand Slam of Curling after the conclusion of this season, with Sportsnet continuing as the exclusive Canadian broadcaster of the series.

The Curling Group is a new sports business venture led by sports, media, and entertainment industry veterans Nic Sulsky and Mike Cotton, along with former NFL star Jared Allen and two-time Olympic gold medal curler John Morris. A number of elite international curlers, including legend Jennifer Jones, are also working alongside the group as strategic advisors.

“The iconic Grand Slam of Curling is the world’s only international curling event series, and we are excited to build on its legacy as we write curling’s next rockin’ chapter,” said Nic Sulsky, CEO, The Curling Group. “Our mandate is to take professional curling to the next level, delivering a reimagined, premium experience that will enhance curling’s engagement opportunities for the athletes, sponsors, and most importantly the sport’s global fanbase.”

“This partnership will help grow the sport while allowing Sportsnet to do what we do best – provide fans a world class broadcast and the most in-depth curling coverage,” said Rob Corte, VP of Production, Sportsnet. “The Curling Group is fully invested in taking the Grand Slam of Curling to the next level and we look forward to growing curling together for years to come.”

Operated by Sportsnet since 2012, the Grand Slam of Curling is an elite series of curling events that feature the best men’s and women’s teams from across Canada and around the world, with at least $2 million in total prize money up for grabs each season.

“The Grand Slams have been an integral part of the curling season for us athletes ever since I started competing on tour over 20 years ago, providing a platform for the world’s best curlers to improve their game under high-stakes pressure,” said John Morris. “I am absolutely thrilled to be part of the next stage of the Slams, as we look to expand the sport globally and provide a unique curling experience that fans will not soon forget.”

The 2024-25 Grand Slam of Curling season will continue as planned with its previously-announced events, with The Curling Group overseeing operations and Sportsnet airing in-depth coverage at all five locations. More details regarding future plans and growth of the Grand Slam of Curling will be announced by The Curling Group in the coming months.

The final event of the 2023-24 Grand Slam of Curling series, the Princess Auto Players’ Championship, gets underway today at the Mattamy Athletic Centre. Sportsnet’s exclusive TV coverage and streaming of the international premier curling event begins Thursday, April 11 on Sportsnet, Sportsnet ONE, and via live stream on Sportsnet+. Strategic advisor to The Curling Group, Jennifer Jones, is competing in the Princess Auto Players’ Championship this week, her last competition before retirement.

About The Curling Group
Launched in 2024, The Curling Group is dedicated to revolutionizing the sport of curling through strategic investments and a commitment to innovation and content production. With the acquisition of the Grand Slam of Curling in 2024, including global media rights, The Curling Group solidifies its position as a leader in the industry, poised to modernize the sport on a global scale. Recognizing the growing value of niche sports properties, The Curling Group strategically positions itself at the forefront of a rapidly expanding market, offering investors and enthusiasts an unparalleled opportunity to engage with the future of curling.

About Sportsnet
Sportsnet is Canada’s #1 sports network. Sportsnet’s multimedia offerings include Sportsnet (consisting of four regional channels: East, Ontario, West, and Pacific), Sportsnet ONE, Sportsnet 360, Sportsnet World, Sportsnet+, the Sportsnet Radio Network, Sportsnet.ca, the Sportsnet app, and podcasts. Sportsnet is the official Canadian NHL national multiplatform rights holder, and is the regional broadcaster for the Vancouver Canucks, Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers, and Toronto Maple Leafs. Sportsnet also has extensive coverage of the Toronto Blue Jays, Toronto Raptors, and UFC, as well as NBA, MLB, Grand Slam of Curling, National Bank Open presented by Rogers, FIBA, Super League Rugby, Premiership Rugby, FA Women’s Super League, and FA Cup. Sportsnet is part of Rogers Sports & Media, which is a subsidiary of Rogers Communications Inc. (TSX, NYSE: RCI). Visit Sportsnet.ca.