As the world is becoming more and more accepting of the LGBTQ+ community, there remain a few grey areas that are still under debate. Many female athletes have raised concern over transwomen who were assigned male-at-birth contending under the same rules. In a twist of events, female boxer Katia Bissonnette reportedly withdrew from a Canadian championship match against Mya Walmsley upon learning of Walmsley’s transgender identity.

Wamsley, obviously, is not very happy with the news. She believes Bissonnette could have taken up the matter with her or even her coach instead of approaching the media directly. Let us take a detailed look at the matter.

Katia Bissonnette pulls out of a fight, leaving Mya Walmsley victorious

Bissonnette learned of Walmsley’s transgender identity just an hour before the Championship. Bissonnette pointed to ‘physical and psychological risks’ as the rationale for her decision to withdraw. The two were in competition at the 2023 Provincial Golden Glove Championship in Victoriaville, Quebec. “According to a study, a male blow has 163% more impact than a woman’s, even adjusted for weight,” said Bissonnette citing a study by the University of Utah. Walmsley, after Bissonnette’s withdrawal, won the fight by default, as officials couldn’t find a replacement.

Bissonnette argued that female athletes shouldn’t face the physical and psychological risks tied to an opponent’s personal choices. Walmsley, however, does not concur. She urged trust in athletes’ gender identity. She conveyed her concerns that Bissonnette’s claims might undermine transgender athletes’ legitimacy. Bissonnette contended that Walmsley might not have been eligible in her home country.

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Walmsley, in contrast, implied that Bissonnette’s accusations could jeopardize transgender female athletes, subjecting them to exclusion and personal attacks fueled by unfounded claims. However, many female athletes have previously conveyed similar thoughts as Bissonnette.

What opinions does the rest of the female boxing community hold?

Ebanie Bridges, the current IBF Bantamweight boxing champion from Australia, has shared her perspective on transgender athletes in the context of the “Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, 2023” in the U.S. While she harbors no animosity towards transgender individuals, according to her she cannot ignore the inherent differences between biological sexes. She advocates for separate divisions for transgender women in sports, particularly in combat disciplines like boxing.

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Mia St John in an exclusive interview with EssentiallySports, stood in against transwomen battling female athletes. “Not fair at all, I mean, physically, men have denser bones, they have more muscle mass, they have more testosterone. So, biologically, it’s just not fair. I mean we can’t compare to that. Even if a woman is on roids, it’s still not the equivalent” she stated, reiterating the stand. The WBC and USAB have acknowledged the issue as well, figuring out the correct set of rules to follow to tackle such a sensitive issue.