Tétart’s season scored him Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, and Domestic Player of the Year.
A trans-identified male basketball player from France is ready to accept the WNBA's call to play in the US women's league. Julie Tétart, 34, who stands at 6' 3" is a trans-identified male playing on the second-tier French women's basketball Ligue Féminine 2. There are currently no trans women in the WBNA. Although, as women's rights activist and attorney Kara Dansky pointed out sarcastically to trans advocates, if there's no difference between women and trans women, then "how do you know" there hasn't been a trans player in the WNBA?
According to Outkick, the male French player, who came out as trans in October 2021, led the league this past season with scoring 21 points per games and getting 20 rebounds on average. The player led the league in both categories.
https://twitter.com/olilondontv/status/2084770902768546263?s=52&t=Zo0EXNCUug3mzjxcIQ0-cw
When the outlet reached out for comment from Tétart asking about the prospect of getting recruited to play for the WNBA, Tétart replied to reporters, "If they contact me, I won't say no. But you have to be realistic: I'm old, and there are far better players than me!"
Tétart's season earned him Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, and Domestic Player of the Year. Despite the high marks for the male in the female league of French female basketball players, he was not named MVP.
Despite the evidence pointing to Tétart having a sex-based advantage over the other female players, some WNBA fans, coaches, and advocate for men being able to play on the court with the women. The Indiana Fever's Sophie Cunningham made waves throughout the league and American culture at large when she said that she believed women should be able to compete on a fair playing field, meaning that men should not be permitted to play women's sports.
Coaches, other players, and fans were quick to point fingers at Cunningham, saying that men who claim to be women really are women and should be given access to play on women's teams. While some players, like Caitlin Collins, skirted the issue, Minnesota Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve wore a "Trans Kids Belong" t-shirt while coaching the Lynx to victory against the Fever. She was praised for it on ESPN.
"I come from a space of inclusion," said Reeve. "The narrative that I think is problematic is to suggest that transgender athletes are the biggest problem in women's sports. This is what's bothersome. There is a faction of people in our country that are making this a massive issue." Reeve has not yet said if she'd open to bringing Tétart to play on her trans-inclusive-yet-still-only-female team.
Tétart's rise in the Ligue Féminine 2 has not been without controversy. Former WNBA player and Frenchman Audrey Sauret wrote, "Ligue 2 serves as a kind of testing ground, to introduce trendy ideas, but by allowing them to participate in professional competitions, we create unfair competition, especially for younger players. This can close doors and discourage aspiring athletes. This situation risks becoming commonplace, even if it’s regulated. Men and women aren’t built the same way. Changing hormones doesn’t erase gender differences. I regret that this issue wasn’t addressed much sooner."
But WNBA coaches such as Nashville's Natalie Nakase, who backs giving men a chance to compete on women's teams, has a chance to bring aboard Tétart. She believes the differences between men and women are no more than skin deep, as they are among players of different races or ethnicities. Will she or Reeve go out on a limb and extend the offer to Tétart?
https://twitter.com/MrAndyNgo/status/2084295589370474525?s=20
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