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.”
Why don’t the federations add an event like they do in Track and Field Wheelchair Division and call it the Trans Division. It would me fair and free of controversy. Problem solved?
I was thinking the same thing. Then watch the female-to-male trans start complaining about how unfair it is to compete against male-to-female trans. The “born females” won’t be able to compete against the “born males”. Fact of life. You do realize that so-called dumb animals are looking smarter all the time? They know what their role in life is and which gender is the most powerful. A female gorilla is never, EVER the alpha male. Good thing animals can’t talk (at least not to us) or the dems would screw them up as well.
It’s not about trans. It’s about mentally ill men abusing and mocking women
Now that I’m in my sixties and not as spry as I used to be. I’m now identifying as a elementary age school girl and I can’t wait to take them on in some type of competition. Should be awesome.
Lol!
Very interesting! For several months now we’ve struggled to define “What is woman?: So now we are challenged to define “What is a trans?” What next? Perhaps a return to reality?
Where is NOW? When ALL the women’s records and scholarships are owned by dudes, maybe the women will wake up and say something. Shout out to the Riley Gaines who have the guts to speak out.
If the problem is, “what is a woman”, let me suggest 3 new divisions to replace what we have now: an XX division, an XY division, and an Open division. Genetics is science. Let’s trust the science!
Biological men are men end of story. We must save women’s sports. Women’s rights are totally being trampled. Only biological women should be competingin women’s sports.
He was born a man, and he’s STILL a MAN,and will die a MAN..period.
Interested that you don’t see trans women competing in men’s sports. Go figure!
It’s hysterical that every commenter on this story now has a newfound appreciation for science. But ask them what they think about climate science, the science behind vaccinations, or the sociological science behind white privilege. Hahahaha
Oh you mean the vaccine that’s killing ppl all day long? That one?
And white privilege??? 🤣🤣🤣
Funny how the only time you care about science is when it favors your political positions. Economics, for example, is a science and would tell any rational person that overspending a fiat currency leads to inflation. When are you planning on letting Sleepy Joe know about that science?
Keepin it real,
You need to research the IPCC.
The IPCC writes the narrative, then they alter the science to fit the narrative. It is on their website.
So much for the official Climate Change narrative sponsored by the rich elite Davos crowd and World Economic Forum.
Stunning and brave. The next Woman of the Year
Hard hitting reporting — lol.
Anyone at this fish wrap heard any news on a billionaire from Dallas who collect Nazi artifacts and funds at least one Supreme Court justice?
Crickets?
Harlan Crow?
Is this thing on?