Staff Reports
A 50-year-old transgender swimmer, Melody Wiseheart, was allowed to compete against teenage girls at a swimming event in Canada. The parents of these young girls, who were as young as 8 years old, were horrified and took matters into their own hands by creating a makeshift tent out of towels to shield their daughters in the locker room. One parent spoke out, saying, “The girls were terrified. It’s all so confusing for the kids. No one is comfortable. Everyone is accepting of all people, but them swimming against our kids and being in a locker room with them is not appropriate.”
50-year-old trans swimmer shared locker room while competing against teens: ‘The girls were terrified’ https://t.co/Y83Aox41Ue pic.twitter.com/RxKiMExsjv
— New York Post (@nypost) December 15, 2023
Wiseheart, who is a professor at York University, has been competing against girls since 2019. She participated in various events at the Trojan Cup in Barrie, Ontario, including the women’s 1500-meter freestyle for athletes 16 and older, where she placed second. Concerns were raised when Wiseheart was seen entering the locker room before the event, prompting at least one parent to call the local police. Although the police were informed, they did not attend the scene.
Parents involved in this situation have expressed their frustrations, questioning why Wiseheart’s participation was allowed. They believe that it is unfair to the young girls who are dedicated to training in their sport and hoping for scholarships. Despite these concerns, Swimming Canada and Swim Ontario, which sanctioned the competition, defended Wiseheart’s participation. They stated that their priority is to provide a competitive experience that is safe, welcoming, and inclusive for all participants.
The international governing body of the sport, World Aquatics, updated its policy last year to effectively ban male-to-female transgender athletes from competing in women’s events. The policy only allows for swimmers who transitioned before age 12 or during the early stages of puberty. It remains to be seen if Wiseheart will face any consequences for competing against teenage girls and causing distress among the parents.
