Last Friday, it was reported that a middle-aged individual who identifies as a transgender woman has been competing in cricket matches in the United Kingdom against girls as young as 12 years old.

We have been living in a world beyond parody for a while now, in which the self-described feelings of those not born female are dictating the opportunities and safety afforded to women and girls. As anyone can imagine, the girls' parents in this case have been complaining about the adult cricketer. Not only is this person potentially sharing restroom facilities with their young daughters, but a coach described the individual as "[hitting] the ball harder than any other … in the league." The player has also accidentally injured others, leaving one girl unable to play for months afterward.

It’s inappropriate for male-born individuals to be competing against female athletes. Studies demonstrate why these individuals possess unfair physical advantages. Additionally, prioritizing gender self-identification over biological sex has the capacity to be easily exploited . Still, this type of presentation can be indicative of something else concerning.

For example, in Australia, an individual who identified as a woman was allowed to supervise and participate in a weeklong getaway centered on "female empowerment." Girls in attendance were between the ages of 10 and 17. The organizer stated that its "girl-only environment" can include anyone who identifies as a girl.

I can’t speak to these particular cases, but if you spend enough time on the internet falling down the gender ideology rabbit hole, you will inevitably come across people who identify as "trans-age," who believe they are a different age from their chronological one. Little is known empirically about this phenomenon, but it appears to consist predominantly of adults who self-identify as children. Based on the scientific research that does exist, these men are not only sexually interested in children, but they also fantasize about themselves being children.

I will spare readers the unpleasant details of such fantasies, but they can be a motivator for wanting to dress and behave as a child and to surround oneself with children. This is not only grossly socially inappropriate but can increase the risk of grooming and predatory abuse. If policy goes down the road of catering to self-declared age in addition to sex, we will be embarking on an entirely new nightmare.