bodybuilders, transsexuals and the law

[wilson6]

Posted this one in the men's section but thought it might provoke some interesting conversation here as well.

The other day I was reading an article on Fox news about some states passing anti-discrimination laws for transsexuals. So I start thinking, here we are in a society that today is being taught (and forced by law in many cases) to accept those who choose to live outside tradition norms. OK, I don't have a problem with what people choose to do with their owns lives, appearance, etc., as long as they are hard working, contributing members of society. Whatever they choose to with themselves is fine with me as long as it doesn't interfere with the rights, freedoms, health and safety of others.

So……….Someone explain to me how a state can pass laws protecting one group of individuals (transsexuals) who use hormones to alter physical appearance, and have another set of laws that criminalize another group of individuals (bodybuilders) who use hormones to alter physical appearance? Is there something fucking wrong here or am I missing something?

Now I know there are those that argue that transsexuals suffer from "gender dysmorphia" and should be treated with hormones because that enhances the quality of their life. My, such compassion from the medical and psych community. OK, so a psych diagnosis saves them and their physicians from prison for using hormones and puts anyone who discriminates against them in prison. So then I would argue that those who desire to be more muscular suffer from "body dysmorphia" (thanks Skip Pope) and should be treated with hormones. Instead, the medical and psych community condemns them and society is taught to view them as outcasts, criminal drug abusers, etc. But it's all about improving the quality of ones' life regardless, isn't it? So, why is one group considered criminals and discriminated against in society, while the other is protected by law?

W6

 

[Sassy69]

This brought up an interesting thought.... say a male undergoes the sex change operation, now becomes female. Then decides to compete in a bb competion - as a female. I wonder how such an individual would place???

 

[strongchick]

So, why is one group considered criminals and discriminated against in society, while the other is protected by law?

W6

Because obsession with physical appearance BY MALES is not accepted in our society?

Steroid use is associated with men, although we all know men are not the only users. So men, therefore, who use steroids, are not accepted in our culture.

If a man is obsessed with his physical appearance he is considered feminine....hmmm....

Perhaps not a logically sound argument...I dunno.

 

[wilson6]

Check out my response on the chat board to nycdefender. There may be far more room for women to use the gender dysmorphia arguement to legally obtain androgens than guys.

Ladies, what do you think?


W6

 

[Snow White]

Interesting Correlation

I don't think bb's are being discriminated against, per se. You see, the ridiculous war on drugs is "protecting" teenage boys from the drugs and eliminating unfair competition from institutionalized sports. The whole thing about criminalizing steriods is about protection against addiction.

 

[new@gettinbig]

Ok if we are “protecting” teenage boys’ etc…and it is illegal to use steroids for physical enhancement, then the same should go for those that want to obtain them for their transsexual purposes. They too are looking to physically enhance their bodies and change, as is a bodybuilder, so why the double standard??? What applies to you, should apply to me, in every case, it should not leave room for exceptions for only certain individuals…You are allowing 1 group of individuals to partake in changing their entire bodies, for what? Only different reasons…..both have the same goal in mind…to improve their life and their personal well-being whatever that may be. Its contradicting to say it is ok, for medical or psychological reasons for one group and not for another….we are protecting bodybuilders from addiction? Does that not apply to the transsexual as well????

 

[Snow White]

new@

I think you mis read what I mean, but I'll address your response. BB's are trying to physically enhance their bodies for vanity and astetic reasons. Transsexuals are not trying to enhance but are trying to "cross over" to the other side. They are men in women's bodies and vice versa. They are convinced that they are in the wrong body and are tortured by this idea each day. This essentially makes them unable to function normally. On the other hand, a 6' 200 lb 19 year old is trying to get to 240 via drugs so he can 1) be more attractive to women, 2) gain an edge in his chosen sport 3) be more astetically pleasing to the eye 4) satisfy his vanity. Those, in the eyes of the government (not mine) are compelling reason to outlaw these drugs. Transsexuals are considered "sick" and in need of the drugs to complete a conversion. Doe this help??

 

[wilson6]

If you listen to Harrison Pope and others in the medical community who have characterized many BBs with body dysmorphia, they too are sick so there really isn't any difference from a clinical perspective. What I'm getting at here is this issue of wanting more muscle. In our society, women who desire more muscle are considered abnormal, desiring to become more masculine according to the masses. So.......why not use this to your benefit? Instead of fighting this concept, use it legally to obtain androgens.

My overall point here is this. If you were a physician prescribing androgens to a female to enhance her muscle mass and were threatened by a medical board for prescribing androgens for cosmetic enhancement, if one goes by society's standards with varying degrees of transsexualism, I don't see why a physician couldn't justify the prescription with the "gender dysmorphia" diagnosis.

I ran this one by Rick Collins. I'll see what he thinks from a legal perspective.

W6

 

[Fennec]

This is an interesting thread! The argument makes sense to me, logically. Not sure if bb's would want to promote it, though, since the sport in general wants to be accepted by the general public. Wouldn't a connection with transsexualism, if it was used in court to defend steroid use, lend credence to the old "Bodybuilders are all homosexual" stereotype? On the other hand, if bodybuilding were to have a better image to the public, then the FDA might ease up on some of the restrictions. How to get there? I dont' know... It would be nice to have some very charismatic people out there explaining all the benefits and getting good PR, outside the bodybuilding community.

Fennec

 

[fiatconspiracy]

so how do we work to make roids legal? We seem to have the numbers. we just need to organize.