The conversation around transgender athletes in competition is picking up again, and this time it has reached the skateboarding world.
Pro skateboarder Jordan Maxham recently shared his thoughts after new Olympic rules led to transgender athletes being excluded from women’s events.
READ MORE: Transgender Women Athletes Banned from Female Events at the Olympics
The decision has drawn a lot of discussion, especially within the LGBTQIA+ skateboarding community, where many have been vocal about wanting inclusion and respect for trans athletes.
Maxham is not calling for exclusion. Instead, he says he hopes there can be a way for everyone to take part fairly.
His idea is simple. He believes transgender athletes should have their own categories so that no one gets left out while also addressing concerns about fairness in competition.
He explained his stance and said that transgender men and transgender women could compete in their own divisions.
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At the same time, he mentioned that he understands why some people believe athletes should compete based on the sex they were assigned at birth.
Creating separate categories could be a middle ground that allows participation without ongoing conflict, according to Maxham.
Not everyone sees it the same way.
The topic has brought out a wide range of opinions online. Our longtime follower, Spliffy Mcjingles, questioned the discussion entirely, asking who is being referred to and raising broader questions about gender identity itself.
Maxham responded by sticking to his point. He noted that transgender athletes should still have a place in competition, just within divisions designed specifically for them. In his view, that setup could make things more balanced for everyone involved.
Others have taken a more direct stance.
MAGA Skateboarding legend Henry Sanchez also weighed in with his perspective, saying that there are only two genders. "They can qualify under their true gender and wear a dress," he said.
RELATED: Skate Legend Henry Sanchez Says Trans Pro Skater Luiza Marchiori Shouldn’t Steal Trophies From Girls
With strong opinions coming from different sides, you already know that this issue is far from settled. Skateboarding, like many other competitive spaces, is now part of a much larger conversation about fairness, identity, and inclusion.
As discussions continue, voices like Maxham’s shows an attempt to find some kind of compromise, even if not everyone agrees on what that should look like.