The recent debate on transgender athletes in women’s sports has brought legendary boxer Mike Tyson into the spotlight. During a House Rules Committee discussion, Republican Representative Ralph Norman from South California’s 5th district referenced Tyson while arguing against the inclusion of transgender women in cisgender women’s sports.
Norman contended that while women have made significant progress in sports, it would be unfair to pit them against men of Tyson’s caliber. Addressing Democrat Mark Takano, he raised the question:
“With the opportunities that women have now, including in MMA where female athletes are gaining a strong following, what if we were to allow athletes like Mike Tyson to compete? Would that be fair? Imagine a family member of yours participating in that scenario. It’s unjust.”
Takano, while acknowledging the legitimacy of the debate, did not provide a direct answer. He stated:
“MMA organizations would have a lot to say about that. Their position is not an absolute conclusion. They are concerned about fairness in competition. So, it’s a valid topic for discussion.”
You can watch the comments made during the debate here: [Insert URL]
Takano argued that the focus of the discussion should be on the inclusion of transgender women in collegiate sports, leaving decisions about elite-level competitions to individual promotions.
The “Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2023” was passed on April 20, with unanimous support from Republicans and opposition from Democrats. The bill stipulates that in sports, a person’s sex should be determined solely based on their reproductive biology and genetics at birth.
House Republicans passed the bill, officially known as the “Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act,” with 219 Republican votes and zero Democratic votes. The Biden White House has stated that the bill will be vetoed upon arrival.
To prove the comedic nature of the case, fans unearthed a comedic movie montage in which Anna Faris was made to box Tyson wearing a wig.
.
During an episode of his Hotboxin with Mike podcast featuring comedian Bill Maher, Mike Tyson shared his thoughts on transgender swimmer Lia Thomas. Maher highlighted Thomas’ victories in swimming competitions against cisgender women despite reportedly still having male anatomy. In response, Tyson commented:
“If you have male genitalia, you cannot compete, baby.”