Featured Image Credit: Doug Peters/Alamy Stock Photo/@haileydgolf/Instagram
Topics: Celebrity, Caitlyn Jenner, LGBTQ, Sport
Callum Jones
Topics: Celebrity, Caitlyn Jenner, LGBTQ, Sport
Despite publicly criticising transgender swimmer Lia Thomas for wanting to reach the Olympics, Caitlyn Jenner has defended golfer Hailey Davidson in her bid to become the first transgender athlete to compete on the LPGA tour.
Davidson's inclusion in the stage one qualifiers for the tour has come under much scrutiny, however, Jenner has offered her support.
The former Olympic champion competed in two Olympic Games and won the men's decathlon event in 1976 before fully transitioning to a woman in 2015.
Jenner has been critical of Lia Thomas taking part in swimming events as she went through male puberty.
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This led to the governing body of swimming, FINA, banning transgender women from competing in women's competitions if they did not transition before they were 12-years-old.
Speaking to Fox News recently, Jenner said: "Obviously, we saw with Lia Thomas she had gone through male puberty, bigger cardiovascular system, it just wasn’t fair. And fortunately we won that, we won that one.
"Golf is totally different game. It is a game of touch and feel. It is about your ability around the green, to get the ball out the bunker."
She continued: "The girls on the LPGA tour - I've played in some LPGA tour events and these girls are so good it's a joke.
"She’s making the Epson tour, a qualifying tour to get into the LPGA. And so she’s playing by the rules. So honestly, for me, the jury is still out on this one. Let’s just let it play out."
Caitlyn Jenner has been on large, very supportive of transgender people entering sport if it was fair to do so. However, she has taken a different public stance on swimmer Lia Thomas' career.
Speaking on that earlier this month, Jenner said: "She has a tremendous advantage over the girls, she’s taller, has bigger hands, her cardio vascular system is bigger, she went through male puberty – all of those things and it’s just not fair.
"It makes the trans community look selfish and self-absorbed," she added.
"Lia Thomas even said if you accept me as a woman, you accept me as woman athlete but no, we do not have to accept that."
Davidson has also faced disapproval from Judy Murray, tennis coach and mother of Scottish tennis champion Andy Murray.
In response to allowing transgender women to compete, Murray said: "No. Not fair at all. Protect women’s sport. Listen to the facts, the scientists and the medics. This is wrong."
Davidson's mother told the Daily Record in response: "Shame on Judy Murray for attacking another mother's child.
"You do not know my daughter Hailey and most importantly you know absolutely nothing about transgender men or women and therefore have no rights whatsoever to give your opinion on something you know nothing about."
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