Can a Transgender play in the NBA or WNBA?

HornetsNationYT · Post #1 » by **HornetsNationYT** » Wed Aug 19, 2015 3:40 pm

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?

Stix · Post #2 » by **Stix** » Wed Aug 19, 2015 3:50 pm

I think so, if Melo can still play then why not?

BenoUdrihFTL · Post #3 » by **BenoUdrihFTL** » Wed Aug 19, 2015 3:52 pm

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.

FlashFlare · Post #4 » by **FlashFlare** » Wed Aug 19, 2015 3:52 pm

Zero Tolerance wrote:I think so, if Melo can still play then why not?

JXL · Post #5 » by **JXL** » Wed Aug 19, 2015 3:52 pm

Zero Tolerance wrote:I think so, if Melo can still play then why not?

WTF?

BenoUdrihFTL · Post #6 » by **BenoUdrihFTL** » Wed Aug 19, 2015 3:54 pm

Zero Tolerance wrote:I think so, if Melo can still play then why not?

This is so random it made me lol

reapaman · Post #7 » by **reapaman** » Wed Aug 19, 2015 3:56 pm

Why not? Bosh is trans-species and he plays.

omerome · Post #8 » by **omerome** » Wed Aug 19, 2015 3:57 pm

Zero Tolerance wrote:I think so, if Melo can still play then why not?

Keep your day job.

Stix · Post #9 » by **Stix** » Wed Aug 19, 2015 3:58 pm

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?

cpfsf · Post #10 » by **cpfsf** » Wed Aug 19, 2015 3:59 pm

i'm just going to grab some popcorn and refresh the thread every now and then.

JXL · Post #11 » by **JXL** » Wed Aug 19, 2015 4:01 pm

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?! :noway:

JShuttlesworth · Post #12 » by **JShuttlesworth** » Wed Aug 19, 2015 4:01 pm

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

omerome · Post #13 » by **omerome** » Wed Aug 19, 2015 4:03 pm

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?

oikosnomos · Post #14 » by **oikosnomos** » Wed Aug 19, 2015 4:20 pm

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.

blvck · Post #15 » by **blvck** » Wed Aug 19, 2015 4:21 pm

joking but not joking
i almost believe that brittney griner was born a man

skywalker33 · Post #16 » by **skywalker33** » Wed Aug 19, 2015 4:25 pm

Wouldn't that be "Can a Transgender play in the NBA AND WNBA ?? "

Hornet Mania · Post #17 » by **Hornet Mania** » Wed Aug 19, 2015 4:43 pm

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.

AwkwardDuck · Post #18 » by **AwkwardDuck** » Wed Aug 19, 2015 4:52 pm

Watch the transgender win MVP just based on his/her "heroic" actions. Statline won't matter.

tidho · Post #19 » by **tidho** » Wed Aug 19, 2015 4:53 pm

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.

Post #20 » by **JaxMagic** » Wed Aug 19, 2015 4:59 pm

Juwanna Mann!