International Olympic Committee tells media not to 'misgender' trans athletes ahead of Paris 2024
Latest guidelines by the International Olympic Committee for the 2024 Paris Olympics this summer push LGBT propaganda onto media and other stakeholders, according to 4 WINDS USA, a worldwide sports ministry helping athletes in track and field.
The ministry has issued a damning response to the “Portrayal Guidelines” issued by the IOC for the Olympics, highlighting that GLAAD, the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, helped to write the third edition of the guidelines that were created for “Olympic movement stakeholders.”
The guidelines call for implementing “gender-equal and fair portrayal practices in all forms of communication” across every area of the Olympics. Stakeholders are “encouraged” to “adopt and adapt these guidelines according to cultural contexts.”
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“Every person, irrespective of their gender identity or sex variations, has the right to practice sport without discrimination and in a way that respects their health, safety and dignity,” says the IOC portrayal guidelines.
“These principle of fairness, inclusion, non-discrimination, and harm prevention — as reinforced in the IOC Framework on Fairness, Inclusion and Non-Discrimination on the Basis of Gender Identity and Sex Variations released in November 2021 — also apply when it comes to how we engage with and portray transgender and non-binary participants in sports and athletes with sex variations.”
Stakeholders are instructed in regards to “terms to avoid” in communicating about the Olympics, which includes “born male,” “born female” and “biologically female.”
“Use of phrases like those above can be dehumanizing and inaccurate when used to describe transgender sports people and athletes with sex variations,” opined the ICC in the document. “A person’s sex category is not assigned based on genetics alone and aspects of a person’s biology can be altered when they pursue gender-affirming medical care.”
The portrayal guidelines instruct parties to use terms instead such as “girl/boy,” “woman/man,” “trangender girl/boy,” “transgender woman/man,” and “transgender person.”
“It is always preferable to emphasize a person's actual gender rather than potentially calling their identity into question by referring to the sex category that was registered on their original birth certificate,” the ICC guidelines add.
“If there is a clear reason to refer to the category a person was assigned at birth, the terms to use are: ‘assigned female at birth,’ ‘assigned male at birth,’ or ‘designated female at birth,’ ‘designated male at birth.'”
The guidelines given also include directives such as using gender-neutral descriptions (they/them) for a person if his or her gender is not apparent aside from physical appearance.
“If the gender identity of the person is known, then it is legitimate to refer to that individual’s gender (e.g. she/her, they/them). However, substitute gender-specific terminology for gender-neutral descriptions when a person’s gender is not known or in a mixed gender group.”
“You should not assume a person’s gender identity,” demands the ICC guidelines. “If necessary, ask them directly, and unless the gender of the person is known, avoid using gender-specific pronouns (she/he, him/her). Rather, in such cases, the plural (they/them/their) is acceptable.”
Steve McConkey, President of 4 WINDS USA, slammed the “[United Nations] controlled Olympic committee” for “push[ing] the radical LGBTQ agenda.”
"The IOC continues to show their true colors," said McConkey in a statement expressing concern about the portrayal guidelines. "They push radical agendas and have allowed the Olympics to be in countries that persecute Christians."
“Individual athletes need to concentrate on their events and Christians need to share Christ despite the Olympic Committee's efforts."
McConkey has campaigned against the IOC transgender policies since 2003.
He spoke at three hearings about the issue of transgender policies in sports at the Wisconsin Capitol on Oct. 4 — three bills passed the Assembly and Senate before Gov. Tony Evers vetoed them. These were two bills against transgender athletes on high school and college teams, and another against transgender surgeries and hormone treatments for youngsters under 18.
McConkey pointed out that after “years of standing up,” World Athletics (track and field) and World Aquatics (swimming) banned transgender athletes from “participating at the international level,” adding “25 states have passed anti-transgender athlete bills.”
McConkey founded 4 Winds USA, now located in Madison, Wisconsin, with his wife Liz in 1988. The couple support all types of sports for men and women. From 1982 to 1992, he worked as a USA National Track and Field Club Coach for Athletes in Action, Lay Witnesses for Christ and 4 WINDS. Athletes he supported were ranked 92 times. After the 1992 season, 4 WINDS dropped the team work to move into a wider ministry supporting all track and field athletes.
Before the Paris Olympics, the ministry is planning an outreach at the Olympic Trials in Eugene, Oregon, this month, ministering to hundreds of athletes and their coaches.
“We are looking forward to doing ministry work during this Olympic year,” said McConkey. “The USA has many great athletes who plan to make a big impact. We have opportunities to share the gospel and to encourage Christians in their faith.”
This article was originally published by Christian Daily International.
Christian Daily International provides biblical, factual and personal news, stories and perspectives from every region, focusing on religious freedom, holistic mission and other issues relevant for the global Church today.
