Bacon's Rebellion

Democracy Thrives in Sunlight

Deplatformed for “Hate” Speech: You’ve Come a Long Way, Baby

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by

James A. Bacon
in ,

Reka Gyorgy, a Virginia Tech senior who missed the cut to compete in the NCAA swimming finals because she was displaced by transgender Lia Thomas, has had her Twitter account suspended.

“I’m a 5th year senior, I have been top 16 and top 8 before and I know how much of a privilege it is to make finals at a meet this big,” Gyorgy said in a letter reprinted on SwimSwam and Swimming World, which she subsequently tweeted. “This is my last college meet ever and I feel frustrated. It feels like that final spot was taken away from me because of the NCAA’s decision to let someone who is not a biological female compete.”

Thomas, a University of Pennsylvania senior won the 500, defeating three Olympic silver medalists, including 20-year-old University of Virginia swimmer Emma Weyant, who placed second.

So, not only are biological males who develop male stature and muscle mass and then identify as women allowed to compete in women’s sports, women can’t even complain about it. Expressing frustration is labeled “hate speech,” and the women are de-platformed.

Will anyone in the Virginia Tech or UVa administrations stand up for their female athletes? Or will they let this madness go uncontested? Or, to ponder a not-inconceivable thought, will Virginia Tech sanction Gyorgy for her heresy?

If you said three years ago that something like this would happen, you’d be laughed out of the room. Now it’s our dystopic reality.

Correction: The Associated Press quotes a Twitter spokesman as saying that Gyorgy’s Twitter account was suspended because it was fake — not because it violated Twitter’s prohibitions against hate speech. My apologies  to Twitter for making an assumption as to why the account was suspended. Lesson learned.

— JAB

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52 responses to “Deplatformed for “Hate” Speech: You’ve Come a Long Way, Baby”

  1. James McCarthy Avatar
    James McCarthy

    Hey, JAB, hope you read Gyorgy’s letter wherein she stands with Lia Thomas. Her complaint is against the failure of foresight on the part of the NCAA. Your comment about athletes like Thomas is misplaced with respect to equity issue voiced by Gyorgy. You may have your reservations about participation by athletes like Thomas but they were not material in this instance. Gyorgy stood up for herself and Thomas without your opinion at stake. Worse, by conflating your bias into the issue, you undercut the complaint. Twitter suspension is a different matter requiring a different conversation—not about the participation of Thomas.

    1. Lefty665 Avatar
      Lefty665

      You need to go back and read the letter again. Gyorgy stood with Thomas as a member of the community of swimmers, not as a participant in women’s NCAA events.

      She was unequivocally opposed to any biological male, including Thomas, competing in women’s events. That was addressed directly to the NCAA and was far more substantial than complaining about a “failure of foresight”.

      Her specific point about this event was that every woman competing was bumped down a position because of Thomas’s participation. In her case as 17th she was denied making it to the 16 finalists in her final meet. In another case, the woman who finished 9th was denied the opportunity to be in the top 8 and to become come an All American.

      While Gyorgy did not address it, other reports are that Thomas is still a functioning male. Having him parade his junk around the women’s locker room, as he reportedly likes to do, is also offensive. If you or I did that we would be arrested for indecent exposure, or maybe ridiculed depending.

      I really don’t care how Thomas, or anyone for that matter, chooses to live. I do believe it is absolutely wrong to let genetic guys compete with genetic women in sports where their physiology gives them a material advantage.

      Thomas’s self identified gender rights are not absolute, they stop where genetic women’s begin.

    2. James A. Bacon Avatar
      James A. Bacon

      What did I misunderstand about this: “Every event that transgender athletes competed in was one spot taken away from biological females throughout the meet.”

      Did you read the whole letter?

      1. James McCarthy Avatar
        James McCarthy

        Quote from Gyorgy’s letter:
        Thursday was not a specific athlete’s fault. It is the result of the NCAA and their lack of interest in protecting their athletes. I ask that the NCAA takes time to think about all the other biological women in swimming, try to think how they would feel if they would be in our shoes. Make the right changes for our sport and for a better future in swimming.

        Apparently, Gyorgy’s Twitter account was not taken down as your article asserted. Her complaint about the NCAA is IMO valid. Yours commenting upon the gender competitive issue was misplaced. That’s a topic for the NCAA to adjudicate.

        1. Lefty665 Avatar
          Lefty665

          And you failed to quote the relevant portion of Gyorgy’s letter on the wrongness of allowing Thomas, or any males, to compete in female events:

          “It feels like that final spot was taken away from me because of the NCAA’s decision to let someone who is not a biological female compete. I know you could say I had the opportunity to swim faster and make the top 16, but this situation makes it a bit different and I can’t help but be angry or sad. It hurts me, my team and other women in the pool. One spot was taken away from the girl who got 9th in the 500 free and didn’t make it back to the A final preventing her from being an All-American. Every event that transgender athletes competed in was one spot taken away from biological females throughout the meet.“

          JAB had it exactly right.

  2. Virginia Gentleman Avatar
    Virginia Gentleman

    Please read Gyorgy’s letter and reconsider this whole post. I won’t hold my breath though.

    1. Nancy Naive Avatar
      Nancy Naive

      “I am convinced that she is no different than me or any other D1 swimmer …” unless she wins.

      1. Virginia Gentleman Avatar
        Virginia Gentleman

        Ha — so true. This is such a difficult issue. I understand and appreciate those that feel cheated. There is developing science that suggests the hormone therapy can level the playing field. Last month, USA Swimming announced new rules for transgender women. To compete, they must demonstrate testosterone levels below five nanomoles per liter for three years before competition and provide evidence that they do not have “a competitive advantage from being born male.” However, surprisingly, the NCAA chose not to adopt those new rules this year. They require demonstrated testosterone levels below 10 nanomoles per liter. Experts believe that 10 nanomoles per liter certainly helps but 5 nanomoles per liter would be make it fair. However, nothing is going to convince the mother of the biological girl who loses out to the trans girl that it was a fair race. Not that every race is fair anyway with many girls having personal trainers, pool availability, and all the best that money can provide while some have none of that.

        1. Nancy Naive Avatar
          Nancy Naive

          Clearly, we need a handicap system, maybe based on previous performance… “just enough to win this time…”

  3. Eric the half a troll Avatar
    Eric the half a troll

    So are you saying that people who (because of their genetics) are more likely (on the average) to outperform others should not be allowed to compete against those who they will likely outperform due to their genetics? Is that your general argument against trans women competing in women’s sports?

    1. walter smith Avatar
      walter smith

      No. Saying someone born a male should not compete in women’s sports. Not that hard to understand. A high school boy’s hoop team could beat most college girl’s teams. Basic biology. The Dallas FC U-15 boys beat the women’s National team in a friendly scrimmage. Men are bigger, stronger, faster, etc. It is not fair for women. Otherwise, the UVA Men’s lax and hoop should identify as women and two more national titles are in the bag! “Lia” was an above average male swimmer and has to cheat to be a “champion” – a champion cheater, adored by Lefty SCIENCE! believers.

      1. Eric the half a troll Avatar
        Eric the half a troll

        “Men are bigger, stronger, faster, etc.”

        You mean on the average, men are bigger, stronger, faster… as I said above. Basic biology… you know that there are quite a few African American in professional sports vs non-African Americans… you must consider them to be cheats as well…

        1. walter smith Avatar
          walter smith

          No, I consider you an idiot. Different people are different and have different abilities.
          Men and women are different in significant ways that makes athletic competition profoundly unfair to women. Just a biological fact. But your refusal to accept it shows how you live in Unicorn land.

        2. Matt Adams Avatar
          Matt Adams

          “Eric the half a troll walter smith • 9 hours ago
          “Men are bigger, stronger, faster, etc.””

          On average Eric, they very much are.

          Your other attempt to invoke racism (ala Hitler) is pointless and does nothing for your argument.

          1. Eric the half a troll Avatar
            Eric the half a troll

            I am not invoking racism, I am demonstrating that in the case of racial correlations in performance, there is no group shouting for separation (rightly so – in case you wish to argue Hitlerism again…) but in this case where there are birth sexual correlations (I assume) there is. Hopefully that clarifies what I am saying. I have no doubt you will tell me this is different which is, of course, your right to that opinion.

          2. Matt Adams Avatar
            Matt Adams

            Biologically speaking there is no differences in race. There is differences in someone born xx and xy and going through puberty in either of those configurations.

            I look at Ranger School, women are welcome it takes the very elite with a lot of train up to pass. The reason is, it’s patrolling and how males and females carry the weight differently.

          3. WayneS Avatar
            WayneS

            There are significant genetic differences between male humans and females humans which, on average (or even on ‘below-average’) give persons with one [or more] ‘y’ chromosomes an advantage over those with no ‘y’ chromosome, in sports which require physical strength, endurance, etc..

            There are no such significant genetic differences between male humans of one ‘race’ vs male humans of another ‘race’; or between female humans of one ‘race’ vs female humans of another ‘race’.

          4. Eric the half a troll Avatar
            Eric the half a troll

            That last bit is still being debated but you are correct as to the cause of the observed and documented correlation. On the side of “no genetic reasons”, environmental, social, psychological, and physiological conditions are usually cited as relevant variables. The reason is really not important. The fact is that in many sports some groups naturally out perform others and we don’t exclude them from competition because of that. You would not exclude Kenyans from competing in long distance running simply because they dominate the sport would you?

            As I said below, the steroid issue resonates more to me and may provide a way of regulating these situations. Not sure how we go about it but clearly we don’t exclude athletes (Russian skaters for instance) for life because they once to metabolic steroids. They still dominate the sport as we very recently saw.

          5. Eric the half a troll Avatar
            Eric the half a troll

            That last bit is still being debated but you are correct as to the cause of the observed and documented correlation. On the side of “no genetic reasons”, environmental, social, psychological, and physiological conditions are usually cited as relevant variables. The reason is really not important. The fact is that in many sports some groups naturally out perform others and we don’t exclude them from competition because of that. You would not exclude Kenyans from competing in long distance running simply because they dominate the sport would you?

            As I said below, the steroid issue resonates more to me and may provide a way of regulating these situations. Not sure how we go about it but clearly we don’t exclude athletes (Russian skaters for instance) for life because they once to metabolic steroids. They still dominate the sport as we very recently saw.

          6. WayneS Avatar
            WayneS

            That last bit is still being debated …

            Who are you, Jimmy the Greek?

          7. Eric the half a troll Avatar
            Eric the half a troll

            I don’t understand your reference but a basic google search tells you that this issue is far from settled.

        3. Lefty665 Avatar
          Lefty665

          “there are quite a few African American in professional sports vs
          non-African Americans… you must consider them to be cheats as well…”

          It was never an issue in baseball until Jackie Robinson came along and identified as white. Baseball tried to deal with it by forming the “Uncle Tom” league, but it never caught on.

          There were other issues too. Fidel Castro could have become a pitcher had he identified as a capitalist which he refused to do. He found another vocation where he was able to maintain his ideological purity and pioneered the concept of “Separate but Cuba”.

          There were issues in football too. Kenny “the Kingfish” Washington identified as white and played pro ball. Future seeing football tried the “Michael Jackson” league, but it fared no better than the Toms. Washington was versatile and went on to star on the Amos n Andy show by identifying as an Actinopterygii.

          I could go on with other sports, but it all gets confusing what with Caitlin identifying as Bruce or vice versa, etc.

          Woke sexism deserves every bit as much respect as woke racism.

          Eric, you transcended “Half” to “Full” by conflating gender identification with race and chumming it across the discussion. Folks so went after it hook, line and sinker that there was nothing earnest left to say. Hope you don’t object that I embraced the concept and had a little fun with it.

          Congrats on attaining “Full Troll” status.

        4. Merchantseamen Avatar
          Merchantseamen

          The leftist are on and on about science but ignore the science when it comes to the difference between a man and a woman. The bottom line is the Trans person appears to have a mental issue of some sort. The other is the NCAA, university/college admins, referees, coaches. I say this….they are so afraid of being called a name. When the bottom line is most are anti-women. These people call conservatives misogynist. They need to look in the mirror.

    2. Matt Adams Avatar
      Matt Adams

      Someone who was born a genetic male and went through puberty with the benefit a higher testosterone/estrogen ratio, is not the biological same as a genetic female who went through puberty with a higher estrogen / testosterone ratio.

      We aren’t even getting into the musculoskeletal differences at this point. You mix into the fact that you’re competing at the elite level and it’s not even a question. Ms. Thomas was ranked 554 in the 200 free as a male and is now ranked in the top 10 in females.

      Should transgendered be bared from sports competition? No, but merely relegating a testosterone level to a specific 10 nmol/L doesn’t account for the advantages provided beforehand. It would be no different than an athlete using steroids’ for 10 years prior and getting clean. IMO they should compete in the group that offers more difficult competition, making the playing field level.

      1. Eric the half a troll Avatar
        Eric the half a troll

        I honestly see that point and don’t disagree.

    3. Merchantseamen Avatar
      Merchantseamen

      Oh pulease. Reaching aren’t you?

  4. Stephen Haner Avatar
    Stephen Haner

    Saw that coming. Kicking her out of Tech might be next!

    1. James Wyatt Whitehead Avatar
      James Wyatt Whitehead

      Alliance Defending Freedom might have a new client.

  5. Cathis398 Avatar
    Cathis398

    this would be interesting news if true.

    however the consensus on Twitter seems to be that the account was suspended because it’s a fake account impersonating Gyorgy, which is well-known to be against Twitter’s rules and something it frequently suspends accounts over, and not because of what the account posted (although that is no doubt what got the account noticed): see for example this thread by a supporter of Gyorgy https://twitter.com/MaryMargOlohan/status/1505728853691482113

    1. Stephen Haner Avatar
      Stephen Haner

      Can’t trust anything on those sources. You really cannot.

      1. VaNavVet Avatar
        VaNavVet

        Seems like JAB pretty much got the whole thing wrong. His confirmation bias kept him from even mentioning the comments from the swimmer that finished second, third, and fourth.

        1. Nancy Naive Avatar
          Nancy Naive

          Is there such a thing as anti-anti-misogyny?

        2. Matt Adams Avatar
          Matt Adams

          Oh the irony that someone calling out confirmation bias is displaying their very own.

          “Confirmation Bias is the tendency to look for information that supports, rather than rejects, one’s preconceptions, typically by interpreting evidence to confirm existing beliefs while rejecting or ignoring any conflicting data”

    2. James McCarthy Avatar
      James McCarthy

      Especially not to trust reports, that is, , hearsay as to what another has said or adds personal commentary to a topic. That’s the job of those on the thread including those who call other commenters names, like idiot.

    3. James A. Bacon Avatar
      James A. Bacon

      If this is true, then it certainly changes the criticism of Twitter. I will try to confirm or deny. It changes nothing about the substance of Gyorgy’s letter, though.

      1. James McCarthy Avatar
        James McCarthy

        Indeed. Review some of the informed comments from posters on this thread.

    4. James A. Bacon Avatar
      James A. Bacon

      I’ve seen speculation from Thomas-sympathizing sources that the Reka Gyorgy account was not really hers, but no conclusive statement from any reputable news source. I’m open to the possibility that Twitter canceled the account on the grounds that it was not really Gyorgy’s account, as opposed to my assumption that she was canceled for “hateful” views. And I will issue a correction if authoritative information is forthcoming.

      1. Nancy Vehrs Avatar
        Nancy Vehrs

        https://apnews.com/article/fact-checking-760806125533

        1. James A. Bacon Avatar
          James A. Bacon

          Thanks, Will, if Twitter says that the account was deleted for being a fake account, that’s pretty definitive. I’ll make a correction to my post.

  6. Wahoo'74 Avatar
    Wahoo’74

    Twitter needs to be fined or shut down. They keep shutting down free speech by removing anyone who doesn’t adhere to the woke cancel culture mandates.

    This VT swimmer was spot on. I hope the VT Administration publicly defends her.

    1. Nancy Naive Avatar
      Nancy Naive

      Public space in a privately owned building, the hotel lobby model. They tolerate what they will, and then they don’t. Hate to go all Libertarian, but them’s the facts. You’re in one such place now.

      You may not be excluded from participating for many reasons or attributes, your expressed thoughts and behavior are not among those reasons.

    2. LarrytheG Avatar
      LarrytheG

      Twitter is not a public govt site, right? You can exercise your free speech in a public-square but not on a corporate site unless they allow it and have their rules for it.

      why is this so hard for Conservatives to understand? Makes me wonder if Conservatives REALLY understand the Constitution sometimes.

      1. Nancy Naive Avatar
        Nancy Naive

        They choose to not understand… another proud display of willful ignorance.

        1. LarrytheG Avatar
          LarrytheG

          Twitter is no more and no less what BR itself is on ‘free speech”. It’s JABs blog and he decides. Same thing with Twitter. I can just see some here in BR call for BR to be “de-platformed”! On some days, that would be warranted IMHO!

          1. Nancy Naive Avatar
            Nancy Naive

            If I never had a comment censored here…

            Twitter allowed the Republicans to elect the WORST president in history and they are PROUD of that. Upside, there’s so much distance between Trump and Carter that we’ll never hear a disparaging word of him again. Well, that we can’t laugh at anyways.

          2. LarrytheG Avatar
            LarrytheG

            JAB has threatened sanctions and expulsion to some folks based on their behavior – point is – it’s his call on how ‘free” the speech is on BR.

            Social Media, in general, has changed the way all of us function – politically and other. Now, no matter how wacko the fringe, they can easily find each other and “organize”.

            All around us every day!

          3. Nancy Naive Avatar
            Nancy Naive

            Fortunely, although they can find each other, successful breeding via cable modems is generations ahead.

  7. Nancy Naive Avatar
    Nancy Naive

    LAB&TYD. Poor baby, you will endure being bested.

    Sometimes we have rules; sometimes we don’t . Sometimes they seem fair; sometimes they don’t. Sometimes they’re interpreted correctly; sometimes they aren’t.

    https://golf.com/news/pro-rips-officials-after-rules-confusion/

  8. tmtfairfax Avatar
    tmtfairfax

    Will Thomas ranked 462 among male swimmers. Lia Thomas ranked 1 among female swimmers. Women and girls have fought too long to have access to sporting programs to see them kidnapped by the woke.

  9. Scott McPhail Avatar
    Scott McPhail

    “To see what is in front of one’s nose needs a constant struggle.” – G. Orwell

  10. James A. Bacon Avatar
    James A. Bacon

    The Roanoke Times says that Gyorgy posted her letter on her Instagram account. Made no mention of her Twitter account.
    https://roanoke.com/sports/college/va_tech/virginia-techs-reka-gyorgy-criticizes-ncaa-over-transgender-swimmer/article_b8d7a51e-a8d3-11ec-b094-bb8b19bd0385.html#tracking-source=home-top-story

  11. UnicornSparklesEnergy Avatar
    UnicornSparklesEnergy

    Trans insanity. Twitter comes in riding the Gender Unicorn to strike her down. I know five months late to this story. Shocked that this news was not shared widely online. So much censor of news sharing.

    Reka Gyorgy, a Virginia Tech senior who missed the cut to compete in the NCAA swimming finals because she was displaced by transgender Lia Thomas, has had her Twitter account suspended.

    So, not only are biological males who develop male stature and muscle mass and then identify as women allowed to compete in women’s sports, women can’t even complain about it. Expressing frustration is labeled “hate speech,” and the women are de-platformed.

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