A transgender woman has had her world titles ripped out from underneath her after it was decided she was “still a man” during the competition.
Mary Gregory, who hails from Virginia, had set records in the woman’s squat, bench press, and dead lift categories — earning her a “Masters total world record” for her powerlifting scores in the previous month.
But the sport’s governing body – RAW Powerlifting Federation – has removed the titles off Mary — saying how she “was actually a male” while she was competing.
Paul Bossi, Federation president said in a statement the following:
“It was revealed that this female lifter was actually a male in the process of becoming a Transgender female. Our rules, and the basis of separating genders for competition, are based on physiological classification rather than identification. On the basis of all information presented to the Board of Directors for this particular case, the conclusion made, is that the correct physiological classification is male.”
And as Gregory could not at the time be classified as “female,” according to the federation’s rulings, she did not break any world records.
Mary revealed to Outsports how she was made to undergo testing by the federation the day she broke the records.
“I shook the director’s hand and I told him, ‘I want to thank you, because as a transgender lifter, I was unsure of the reaction I was going to get here, and you and your staff have gone above and beyond to make me feel welcome. And I really appreciate that from the bottom of my heart. It means the world to me.’ And I told him that to his face.”
But when it came time for drug testing, officials informed Mary they needed a urine sample.
She said:
“I said, ‘Well, this is kind of embarrassing for me, because I don’t have the correct anatomy.’ Still, I did my business while somebody watched me sitting on the toilet. And so that’s where that statement comes from, because I’m sure she told them, ‘Hey! This girl’s got a penis!’”
When asked if they she would undergo surgery to remove her male genitalia, Mary said:
“Perfect world, under perfect situations, probably, yes, I would have the surgery, because I’m not that attached to that part of my anatomy. It doesn’t define who I am, but I don’t hate it. I don’t need it to be gone to be able to live my life and be whole. It’s more of a case that it’s inconvenient that it’s there.”
Before completing in the championships, Mary had been on hormone blockers for 11 months.
The USA Powerlifting passed a policy this past month that banned transitioning athletes from competing against athletes that match their “gender identity.”
The board decided this ruling because:
“Men naturally have a larger bone structure, higher bone density, stronger connective tissue and higher muscle density than women.”
They continued, saying:
“These traits, even with reduced levels of testosterone do not go away. While MTF (male to female) may be weaker and less muscle than they once were, the biological benefits given them at birth still remain over than of a female.”
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