2 Minute Take: Laurel Hubbard has been eliminated from Olympic competition. This may prove better for trans athletes than if she won.

When female transgender weightlifter Laurel Hubbard of New Zealand was announced to be competing against other women, there was understandable outrage that the physical advantages of being a biological male would allow Hubbard to make light work of the competition, who are all biological females. (Photo Credit: The Independent)

Laurel Hubbard was a name not known to many one year ago.

Then she became a transgender Olympian, and caught the eye of millions.

Hubbard, who was born male, was given clearance to compete in the female weightlifting category in Tokyo.

Many who were critical of her being qualified to compete likened the scenario to the South Park episode in which Randy Savage identifies as female to beat Strong Woman, and all the other athletes.

But then, something unexpected happened: Hubbard failed all 3 of her lifts at the qualifier, and was thus eliminated before even making it to the medal rounds.

While undoubtedly controversial, it also would come as no surprise that transgender athletes from all over the world may have been rooting for her.

But for those fans, Hubbard’s elimination may prove more beneficial to trans athletes in the long term.

Proof Of Vulnerability

The obvious complaint with Hubbard’s competing is the physical advantages in terms of strength when it comes to being biologically male.

Additionally, many female transgender athletes do fall into this category, where the hormonal balance is too different from that of a female where it would provide an unfair advantage.

But to be given clearance to play, Laurel needed to be cleared by a panel of Olympic doctors — doctors that ended up giving her the green light to compete.

What was initially decried as an attempt at propaganda courtesy of the Olympics, and an attack on women, wound up having no effect on the competition.

Moreover, the Olympics as well as Japan are notable for trying to stay neutral in all things political, hence why they banned any Black Lives Matter apparel.

As it would turn out, Hubbard got clearance not because she would make history as a transgender Olympian, but because any strength that came from being male did not prove significant enough to disenfranchise the other athletes.

Unsurprisingly, the doctors that directly evaluated Hubbard and went through years of medical school are better at assessing physical strength and attributes than people on the internet who walk the opposite direction every time they see someone who looks or is transgender.

If this happens multiple more times in the future, where female transgender athletes are given clearance to compete, but fail to win any medals, it may broaden people’s willingness to let them compete.