In a recent boxing championship in Quebec, a female boxer, Dr. Katia Bissonnette, decided to withdraw from the competition at the last minute.

The reason? She was informed just an hour before her fight that her opponent was a transgender woman, Mya Walmsley.

This incident has sparked a debate about transgender athletes participating in women’s sports and the concerns surrounding fair competition.

Here’s how it unfolded: Bissonnette, from Saguenay, was all set to participate in the 2023 Provincial Golden Glove Championship held in Victoriaville, Quebec.

However, her coach surprised her with unexpected news – her opponent was transgender – just an hour before the fight.

This revelation left her feeling unprepared for what she saw as an unequal match.

Walmsley, who had moved to Canada from Australia two years ago, had no history in the Quebec boxing scene.

In Australia, she had competed as a male boxer, and in Quebec, her record showed no fights as a woman.

Since Bissonnette withdrew from the match and no one else stepped in, Walmsley was declared the winner by default.

Things took a contentious turn when Walmsley, known for her political activism, threatened to “out” Bissonnette publicly.

She argued that such incidents could be used to undermine women athletes and called for trust in transgender athletes without the need for strict regulations.

Bissonnette’s primary concern was her safety in the ring.

She cited a 2020 study from the University of Utah, which claimed that punches from males have significantly more impact than those from females, even when adjusting for weight.

This raised questions about whether trans athletes in contact sports might pose physical and psychological risks to their female opponents.

The core of this debate centers on whether transgender athletes should compete in women’s sports and whether there should be separate categories based on biological sex.

Bissonnette firmly supports the idea of separate categories, arguing that women should not have to face potential risks arising from a male athlete’s personal decisions regarding their identity.

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