Today's edition of Christ What An Asshole is American cycling cheater Lance Armstrong, who wrote a widely-read anti-Trans tweet thread this weekend which has been universally panned. 

On her Charlotte's Web substack, Charlotte Clymer writes about the moral panic over trans women in sports, and how discredited scammers like Lance Armstrong and Caitlyn Jenner are coming out of the woodwork to try to monetize it. 

Her piece, When Lance Armstrong Speaks, Why Does Anyone Listen? is lengthy but here's her basic message:

I think it's common sense to have fair regulations in place that protect the safety of all involved.

That looks different depending on the sport. We should be having that conversation in good faith. Any young trans woman should be permitted to compete provided she has followed through on regulations that ensure safety and fairness. That may mean waiting to compete! That's fine.

At the same time, I think it's utterly absurd to suggest there weren't unfair advantages in sport until this conversation on trans inclusion. When it's a cisgender male student athlete involved, these unfair advantages are praised and sometimes take on mythological importance.

Boys and young men who are significantly larger, taller, faster, and stronger than their peers are deemed to be great for sports.

Girls and young women who are similarly outliers are most often said to be bad for women's sports, and that was true long before trans inclusion.

The history of women's sports has seen rather disgusting policing of women's and girls' bodies. 

....most of the trans girls and women who compete in women's sports are average in ability. When a young trans woman is bad at sports, no one cares. But when she's good? Everyone suddenly has an opinion.

The same week that the parents of three young women who are not transgender filed a lawsuit against Connecticut to bar the inclusion of young trans women in track and field events, one of the young trans women was beaten by one of the young cisgender women in a state final.

Did any of y'all see that news?

No, because it undermines the narrative that has driven this absurd moral panic against trans student-athletes. If reasonable adults are made to sit down talk calmly through this in good faith, it suddenly lacks its clickbait value. God forbid.

I don't think this is a topic that has easy answers, but it has been so completely one-sided and so absolutely vicious against trans children ...

So, yeah, when Mr. Armstrong and Ms. Jenner decided to further weaponize this complicated issue for their own benefit, I get a little angry over that. I think anger is warranted in a situation in which the lives of children are being directly affected by rightwing narcissism.

When your friends and family inevitably cite this interview as something to watch, I hope you'll take the time to gently inform them of the ways in which this is all a massive grift being built on the backs of trans kids who just wanna play sports with their friends.

Nearly all professional leagues have policies about how long athletes have to be on hormones before they can compete. A tiny number of athletes are competing, even as amateurs. There's never been a confirmed case of someone pretending to be trans so they can compete as a woman.

— Michael Hobbes (@RottenInDenmark) June 25, 2023

In his Present Age substack, Parker Molloy also writes about how creating a moral panic over trans women in sport is intended to eliminate trans people -- in his piece titled Who Asked You, Lance Armstrong, Molloy writes:

I say this with absolute certainty: if someone offered a compromise that would outright ban trans women who’ve gone through a testosterone-driven puberty from competing in college, professional, and Olympic sports in exchange for social acceptance and legal protections in education, employment, housing, public accommodations, health care, etc., the people currently yelling for trans people to be banned from sports would reject it outright. No such compromise exists, nor is it likely that it ever would, but if this was truly about saving women’s sports and ensuring fairness, it’d be something the anti-trans activists would jump at.

But they wouldn’t.

On a side note, Defector staff writer Patrick Redford speculates about Why Lance Armstrong is Suddenly Concerned with Fairness in Sports and you won't be surprised to learn it has to do with promoting a podcast and a new Fox reality TV show.

The "debate" about whether to allow trans people to compete alongside their cisgendered counterparts is about restricting trans rights. To frame it as a question of sporting integrity would be deeply cynical, even if a notorious cheater weren't the one making it.

Armstrong's name is synonymous with breaking the rules, but it's worth remembering how comprehensive his program of cheating was. He not only pumped himself with EPO and took illegal blood transfusions, but he also ran a sophisticated, team-wide operation. ... Journalists who publicly asked questions about doping were targeted by Armstrong, and he often went above their heads to try and get them fired. This guy defending the concept of fairness is like Dracula making the case for veganism.

....It's grim that someone with such a rotten reputation still feels comfortable to scrutinize trans athlete participation in sports on the grounds of fairness. But Armstrong is correct about one thing: He has no more respect to lose.

This shows the extent of anti-trans and anti-gay legislation in the US now:

The most recent update of the anti-trans legislation risk assessment map is here for Pride month.

America has cleaved into two countries for trans people... one of which they are fleeing and suffering harsh laws, and one where they are protected.https://t.co/wUvVG3otQE

— Erin Reed (@ErinInTheMorn) June 25, 2023

We are currently in an internally displaced refugee crisis, with up to 260k transgender people having already moved and an additional million considering moving.

The dark red states, especially Florida, are where they are leaving from.https://t.co/Kj3SzvcAlc

— Erin Reed (@ErinInTheMorn) June 25, 2023

And regarding New Brunswick's bright idea to require schools to deadname trans kids unless their parents approve, a lawyer reminds us that the Supreme Court handed down a relevant ruling 30 damn years ago:

RE Policy 713 and the "parental rights" arguments. This has long been settled in family law. In the 1993 seminal case of Young v Young the Supreme Court of Canada found the paramount consideration is the best interests of the child and that prevails over any rights of parents.

— Morgan Manzer (@MorganManzer) June 20, 2023

Finally, on a positive note, this statement to the crowd from professional wrestler CM Punk is absolutely outstanding! "Support trans kids, support gay and lesbian rights!"

I don't know anything about modern wrestling, but a stadium full of Americans cheering for trans rights is a great reminder that most people oppose the bigotry that's on Fox News every day. https://t.co/HRJYuAyrpd

— Matt Novak (@paleofuture) June 18, 2023