A biological male powerlifting coach has set the Canadian women’s bench press record, breaking the previous record, set by another biological male, by nearly 100 pounds.
During the Heroes Classic competition in Lethbridge, Canada, on March 25, Avi Silverberg bench pressed close to 370 pounds. Silverberg is a biological male but identified as a female for the duration of the competition.
Silverberg, now the strongest bench press competitor in Canadian women’s powerlifting, holds a Master of Science degree in exercise science and was the former head coach of Team Canada Powerlifting.
The Canadian Powerlifting Union’s trans-inclusion policy stipulates, “Individuals participating in development and recreational sport … should be able to participate in the gender with which they identify and not be subject to requirements for disclosure of personal information beyond those required of cisgender athletes.”
“Nor should there be any requirement for hormonal therapy or surgery,” the policy continues. “Surgical intervention should not be required for an individual to participate in high-performance sport … in the gender category that is consistent with their gender identity.”
Then-record holder Anne Andres was in attendance as Silverberg smashed the bench press record.
Andres later complained on Instagram about “that one lifter claiming to be trans just to get those medals and setting records and all that stuff,” while “we all know that’s a sham.”
“I got surgery, I can prove without any doubt whatsoever that I went through every step,” Andres added. “I’m as good as I am because I work as hard as I do.”
In another video, Andres alleged Silverberg “showed up … with malicious intent,” but went on to admit that “maybe my participation isn’t necessarily fair, you know science or whatever.”
Andres, a biological male and transgender competitor, previously sparked outrage in the powerlifting community by participating in the women’s league and for posting allegedly derogatory videos, insulting fellow competitors.
“Why is women’s bench so bad?” Andres asked in a video.
“I mean, not compared to me,” Andres clarified. “We all know I’m a tranny freak.”
Riley Gaines, an American swimmer who has vocally opposed biological male participation in women’s sports, responded to the video, “Anne Andres (male who identifies and competes as a woman) doesn’t understand why female powerlifters are so ‘bad’ at bench press.…well [I don’t know] Anne, but maybe it’s because you have 20 times more testosterone than them.”
April Hutchinson, a Team Canada powerlifter and biological woman, reacted to Silverberg’s feat saying, “Time for [a] policy change [in] Canadian Powerlifting Union. While we’re at it let’s make ALL women’s sports fair.”
Hutchinson has been outspoken about the effects of allowing biological men to compete in women’s sports.
She recently told Fox News commentator Tucker Carlson, “A lot of women are silenced … or they’re afraid to speak up in fear of maybe getting kicked out of the federation.”
Yet some groups claim that allowing biological males to compete against women is actually good for all involved.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) considers it a fact that “including trans athletes will benefit everyone.”
“Excluding women who are trans hurts all women,” the ACLU argues. “It invites gender policing that could subject any woman to invasive tests or accusations of being ‘too masculine’ or ‘too good’ at their sport to be a ‘real’ woman.”
The group adds that excluding non-biological women “reinforces stereotypes that women are weak and in need of protection. The group concludes that “including trans athletes will promote values of non-discrimination and inclusion.”
Recently, several sports writers signed on to a letter advocating for letting biological males compete against biological females, comparing the hurdles faced by transgender athletes to those encountered by Jackie Robinson and Muhammad Ali.
“Sports has become a very public battleground for the anti-trans movement,” the group alleged. “Public hysteria over trans athletes competing in leagues that reflect their gender identity has been the catalyst in the legislative movement to criminalize and erase trans people from visible public life.”
In Texas, legislation has been proposed to further ensure that only biological women are permitted to compete in women’s sports up through the collegiate level, as reported by The Dallas Express.
Pro-women’s sports groups such as the Independent Council on Women’s Sports (ICONS) have urged for more protections against the participation of biological males.
Marshi Smith, the co-founder of ICONS, told The Dallas Express, “We have just spent two days of the Women’s Final Four circling the American Airlines Center with a billboard” that urged decision makers to “keep women’s sports female.”