In the world of competitive powerlifting, a surge of controversy has erupted as a transgender athlete achieved a new record in the women’s division. April Hutchinson, a prominent female powerlifter, expressed her strong opposition to the result, deeming it as a setback for women’s rights in sports.
Hutchinson, an accomplished competitor herself, spoke out vehemently against the participation of Anne Andres, a 40-year-old biological male who competed in the Female Masters Unequipped category at the Canadian Powerlifting Union’s 2023 Western Canadian Championship. With a staggering total weight lifted of 597.5 kilograms (1,317.26 pounds) across squat, bench, and deadlift, Andres secured a resounding victory over her closest contender, SuJan Gill, who totaled 387.5 kilograms (854.29 pounds).
Hutchinson’s disapproval stems from what she sees as a larger issue of fairness and gender equality in sports. She lamented the lack of protective measures in place to ensure a level playing field for female athletes, emphasizing that records set by transgender athletes would likely never be surpassed by their biological female counterparts.
Adding to Hutchinson’s concerns is the transgender inclusion policy adopted by the Canadian Powerlifting Union. The policy, based on guidance from the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sports, permits athletes to participate according to their self-identified gender, regardless of hormone therapy status. Hutchinson criticized this policy, arguing that it undermines the integrity of women’s sports and could potentially lead to individuals exploiting the system for personal gain.
The controversy deepened when Avi Silverberg, a male powerlifting coach, competed as a woman in protest against transgender athletes in women’s competitions. Silverberg leveraged the CPU’s self-identification policy to break records and send a message about perceived advantages biological men have in women’s sports.
Furthermore, Hutchinson highlighted the growing popularity of gender-neutral neopronouns, referring to them as a “ridiculous” trend. She expressed skepticism about the trend’s compatibility with reality and argued that while individuals have the right to identify as they please, imposing such pronouns on others can be challenging.
