Taiwan turns against J.K. Rowling after the author made controversial statements, the daughter of Cameroon's president comes out as a lesbian, and the first trans athlete competes at the Paralympic Games, representing Italy.
Taiwan Turns Against J. K. Rowling Following Comments
Government officials and citizens in Taiwan are denouncing J. K. Rowling following her comments questioning the eligibility of Taiwan’s female boxer, Lin Yu-ting, at the Olympics.
According to Pink News, Yu-ting has identified as a woman since birth, and has competed and lost to women in international boxing events, including previous Olympics.
This year, both Yu-ting and Algerian boxer Imane Khelif have been the center of controversy, despite the International Olympic Committee's repeated declarations that Lin and Khelif are eligible to continue competing as women.
“These two athletes were the victims of a sudden and arbitrary decision by the IBA … without any due process,” the IOC said in a statement. “Every person has the right to practice sport without discrimination.”
Daughter of Cameroon’s President Comes Out
Brenda Biyavia. Photo via brenda_biyaa Instagram.
Brenda Biya, the daughter of Cameroon’s President, came out via Instagram.
According to Pink News, she has since used her platform to speak about her hope of helping other queer people in Cameroon and her desire to see the gay sex ban to be lifted.
Same-sex activity is illegal in Cameroon and is punishable by up to five years in prison and a fine. Biya lives in the U.S. and Switzerland.
While Biya is receiving praise for coming out, some people hope she is arrested for it, with one calling her actions “a disgrace” in an interview with DW News. That same person claimed homosexuality doesn’t exist in Cameroon and said Biya should not be above the law.
First Trans Athlete Competes At Paralympic Games
Photo via Valentina Petrillo, Facebook.
Valentina Petrillo is set to be the first out transgender athlete to compete in the Paralympic Games, representing Italy.
“The historic value of being the first transgender woman to compete at the Paralympics is an important symbol of inclusion … This is not a lifestyle choice for me,” she said in an interview with BBC Sport. “This is who I am.”
According to Pink News, Petrillo said that her participation “is an important symbol of inclusion.” The 50-year-old sprinter will compete in the women’s T12 classification for athletes with visual impairments.
The athlete first underwent gender-affirming care in January 2019 when she started hormone replacement therapy. She noted that “everyone will have their questions” but only a “minority” will understand her lived experience as a transgender athlete.
According to Andrew Parsons, the president of the International Paralympic Committee, Petrillo is “welcome” in Paris under the current World Para Athletics policy, which states that a person who is legally recognized as a woman is eligible to compete in their impairment-qualified category.
BBC Sport reported that Petrillo’s testosterone levels are “now consistently well below the two-nanomoles-per-liter level” since undergoing gender-affirming care.
