In a recent powerlifting event, Audrey Yun, a trans-identifying male, has once again dominated the women’s competition. At the BCPA Winter Open on February 17th, Yun took first place in the women’s event, lifting a combined total of 964.5 pounds (437.5 kilograms) in the squat, bench press, and deadlift.
This impressive performance was significantly higher than the second-place finisher, Laticia Castillo, who lifted 865.3 pounds (392.5 kilograms). The event was sanctioned by the Canadian Powerlifting Union (CPU), the same organization that had previously banned female Team Canada powerlifter April Hutchinson for speaking out against the inclusion of male athletes in women’s sports.
Hutchinson had publicly criticized the CPU for allowing 40-year-old trans female Anne Andres to compete against women, after Andres set records by lifting around 440 pounds (200 kilograms) more than the second-place finisher.
Hutchinson’s comments led to a year long ban from the CPU, but the issue of fairness in women’s sports continues to be a point of contention. Professional strongwoman competitor Maria Barwig expressed her concerns, stating, “It is a sport based directly on maximal output events that rely on physical structure. Men’s frames are built to withstand and produce more force. Men carry more muscle density and bone density. It is also very clear when it comes to grip strength.”
Barwig also highlighted the unsportsmanlike behavior displayed by the trans-identifying competitors, saying, “I feel Anne [Andres] and Audrey [Yun] have a negative attitude towards female lifters who stand up, but they are also very unsportsmanlike. They rub it in the faces of females knowing they have the advantage.”
Despite the concerns raised by female athletes, the BCPA and CPU have continued to welcome Yun to compete in women’s events, without offering a third and more fair category.
