Hello Fellow Swimmers,
I got into swimming late in 2004 and swam on and off since then. in 2012 i was swimming like 20 - 25 hours a week and competed for my team on the mens side. My last race was in july of 2012, the same time that I started with Hormone Replacement Therapy to begin my physical transformation. Im just getting back into swimming and can tell I'm very out of shape and have a long way to go before I start considering competing now as a woman which brings me to my main question.
I would like to know what peoples thoughts are on it, because the last thing I want is for people to yell at me at a meet, or to call me a cheater, or to make a scene. The men can weigh in their thoughts, but mainly looking for the responses from the women as I will be swimming with them, and not the guys.
Also, please be respectful.
Thank you,
Cassie
Please, absolutely, contact Anna Lea for correct information about the rules for USMS. But I didn't read your question as being about rules so much as about what to expect socially if you compete as a woman if and when the rules allow you to do it.
If you're just doing Masters swimming I don't think anyone is going to really care and I doubt it will matter at all.
I disagree with this assessment. For sports, MtF is different from FtM. Some women will object to your competing, particularly if you beat them. They are more likely to grumble than to confront you, but they will wonder why they have to race a "man." You will need to be ready either to ignore their grumbling or to meet their objections, such as by explaining to them why the rules allow you to compete and (on a related note) why you don't actually have an unfair advantage by having gone through puberty as a man. I know that it's not fair to demand that you be an ambassador every time you just go out to do something fun, but I don't think you can pretend it won't happen.
If you want to swim, then swim. Most people will be supportive. Some will not, but I'm sure you know this much from your experience outside the pool. I say go for it!
On the other hand, I agree wholeheartedly with this sentiment. For myself, I assume that our USMS rules on this topic strike the appropriate balance between recognizing sex differences in sport and including people who don't fit into the most common categories. I also know that if I think our rules don't work I can participate in changing them, and I know in the end that our organization's overall goal is to extend the pleasure of swimming as fast as possible to as many people as possible. So if you worked out with me I'd welcome you to practice, and if you raced me at a meet I'd wish you a good swim and congratulate you when we finished.
Please, absolutely, contact Anna Lea for correct information about the rules for USMS. But I didn't read your question as being about rules so much as about what to expect socially if you compete as a woman if and when the rules allow you to do it.
If you're just doing Masters swimming I don't think anyone is going to really care and I doubt it will matter at all.
I disagree with this assessment. For sports, MtF is different from FtM. Some women will object to your competing, particularly if you beat them. They are more likely to grumble than to confront you, but they will wonder why they have to race a "man." You will need to be ready either to ignore their grumbling or to meet their objections, such as by explaining to them why the rules allow you to compete and (on a related note) why you don't actually have an unfair advantage by having gone through puberty as a man. I know that it's not fair to demand that you be an ambassador every time you just go out to do something fun, but I don't think you can pretend it won't happen.
If you want to swim, then swim. Most people will be supportive. Some will not, but I'm sure you know this much from your experience outside the pool. I say go for it!
On the other hand, I agree wholeheartedly with this sentiment. For myself, I assume that our USMS rules on this topic strike the appropriate balance between recognizing sex differences in sport and including people who don't fit into the most common categories. I also know that if I think our rules don't work I can participate in changing them, and I know in the end that our organization's overall goal is to extend the pleasure of swimming as fast as possible to as many people as possible. So if you worked out with me I'd welcome you to practice, and if you raced me at a meet I'd wish you a good swim and congratulate you when we finished.
