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Can a Transgender play in the NBA or WNBA?
Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2015 3:40 pm
by HornetsNationYT
Lets say for example a male in the nba or a female in the wnba changes their gender will they still be able to play?
Re: Can a Transgender play in the NBA or WNBA?
Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2015 3:50 pm
by Stix
I think so, if Melo can still play then why not?
Re: Can a Transgender play in the NBA or WNBA?
Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2015 3:52 pm
by BenoUdrihFTL
A female trying to become a male would have to take steroids right? I think that would disqualify her from either league. Don't see why a male trying to become female would be automatically booted from the NBA, although it would be pretty weird lol
Would the male to female be allowed to play in the WNBA? That's an interesting question. In MMA there's a fighter Fallon Fox who is a male to female tranny and the UFC refuses to allow her to fight in the women's division. That's a bit of a different situation than basketball though, here you're talking someone who was born a man wanting to literally beat up women for a living.
Re: Can a Transgender play in the NBA or WNBA?
Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2015 3:52 pm
by FlashFlare
Zero Tolerance wrote:I think so, if Melo can still play then why not?

Re: Can a Transgender play in the NBA or WNBA?
Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2015 3:52 pm
by JXL
Zero Tolerance wrote:I think so, if Melo can still play then why not?
WTF?

Re: Can a Transgender play in the NBA or WNBA?
Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2015 3:54 pm
by BenoUdrihFTL
Zero Tolerance wrote:I think so, if Melo can still play then why not?
This is so random it made me lol
Re: Can a Transgender play in the NBA or WNBA?
Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2015 3:56 pm
by reapaman
Why not? Bosh is trans-species and he plays.
Re: Can a Transgender play in the NBA or WNBA?
Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2015 3:57 pm
by omerome
Zero Tolerance wrote:I think so, if Melo can still play then why not?
Keep your day job.
Re: Can a Transgender play in the NBA or WNBA?
Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2015 3:58 pm
by Stix
omerome wrote:Zero Tolerance wrote:I think so, if Melo can still play then why not?
Keep your day job.
Have we all forgotten how feminine Melo used to look with braids?

Re: Can a Transgender play in the NBA or WNBA?
Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2015 3:59 pm
by cpfsf
i'm just going to grab some popcorn and refresh the thread every now and then.
Re: Can a Transgender play in the NBA or WNBA?
Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2015 4:01 pm
by JXL
Zero Tolerance wrote:omerome wrote:Zero Tolerance wrote:I think so, if Melo can still play then why not?
Keep your day job.
Have we all forgotten how feminine Melo used to look with braids?

You want to pull up a 19-year old Melo to justify your point? WTF?!

Re: Can a Transgender play in the NBA or WNBA?
Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2015 4:01 pm
by JShuttlesworth
Zero Tolerance wrote:omerome wrote:Zero Tolerance wrote:I think so, if Melo can still play then why not?
Keep your day job.
Have we all forgotten how feminine Melo used to look with braids?

We remember...we're just not 12
Re: Can a Transgender play in the NBA or WNBA?
Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2015 4:03 pm
by omerome
Zero Tolerance wrote:omerome wrote:Zero Tolerance wrote:I think so, if Melo can still play then why not?
Keep your day job.
Have we all forgotten how feminine Melo used to look with braids?


Re: Can a Transgender play in the NBA or WNBA?
Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2015 4:20 pm
by oikosnomos
RonySeikalyFTW wrote:A female trying to become a male would have to take steroids right? I think that would disqualify her from either league. Don't see why a male trying to become female would be automatically booted from the NBA, although it would be pretty weird lol
Would the male to female be allowed to play in the WNBA? That's an interesting question. In MMA there's a fighter Fallon Fox who is a male to female tranny and the UFC refuses to allow her to fight in the women's division. That's a bit of a different situation than basketball though, here you're talking someone who was born a man wanting to literally beat up women for a living.
Situation isn't that different. It's still a man with physical advantages playing against women.
Re: Can a Transgender play in the NBA or WNBA?
Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2015 4:21 pm
by blvck
joking but not joking
i almost believe that brittney griner was born a man
Re: Can a Transgender play in the NBA or WNBA?
Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2015 4:25 pm
by skywalker33
Wouldn't that be "Can a Transgender play in the NBA AND WNBA ?? "
Re: Can a Transgender play in the NBA or WNBA?
Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2015 4:43 pm
by Hornet Mania
The NBA does not specify which gender a player must be to enter the league, so drafting/signing a transgender person would probably also be within the rules. The WNBA on the other hand specifically prohibits men from playing in the league, so it would completely depend on how the league chooses to view a man who transitioned into a woman. If the league still views them as male, they would definitely be prohibited, if the league fully views them as female it would be fine. If a woman transitions into being a man she would run up against those same bylaws, so again it depends on if the league chose to view her birth gender or current gender identity as official.
I honestly don't know how they would or could handle that particular issue without major backlash. From a competitive standpoint men do have a clear advantage over women athletically, it's likely if the transgender woman (formally a man) would have an unfair advantage over the majority of the league if she were a skilled player (by the standards of men's basketball) before her transition. On the other hand the media would throw a total **** fit if a transgender woman were barred from the WNBA, and the league is struggling enough as-is without a PR storm that could potentially alienate their existing fan base. Similarly, if a woman transitioned into becoming a man it would open up a PED-type can of worms as to whether testosterone injections and the like constitute performance enhancement. It would be an interesting case to view as an outside observer, but I imagine the league office is praying it doesn't happen before some other sport (the Olympics?) creates a standard for fairly dealing with transgender athletes.
Re: Can a Transgender play in the NBA or WNBA?
Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2015 4:52 pm
by AwkwardDuck
Watch the transgender win MVP just based on his/her "heroic" actions. Statline won't matter.
Re: Can a Transgender play in the NBA or WNBA?
Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2015 4:53 pm
by tidho
NBA would allow it, but realistically would never be faced with the decision beyond some symbolic gesture of political correctness.
WNBA would be forced to disallow it if it ever came up and if taken to court would create quite a setback for the Trans community.
Re: Can a Transgender play in the NBA or WNBA?
Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2015 4:59 pm
by JaxMagic
Juwanna Mann!