Why is the female president of the British Columbia Powerlifting Association a misogynist? An interview with powerlifter Kathleen Thomson

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• By David Menzies

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Rebel News viewers are likely familiar with the saga of April Hutchinson, the London, Ont.-based powerlifter who was recently suspended for two years (!) for having the temerity to complain about male powerlifters pretending to be female athletes, thereby invading powerlifting’s women’s division. These dudes are not only winning competitions but setting records in the process.

Unfortunately, Hutchinson isn’t the only female powerlifter being victimized by the powers-that-be running powerlifting in Canada.

Check out our interview with Kathleen Thomson, a Victoria, B.C.-based powerlifter who expressed similar concerns regarding fake females invading women’s powerlifting.

Thomson recently sent a letter to Jennifer Luther Thomas, the president of the British Columbia Powerlifting Association (BCPA). And even though Luther Thomas is also a female and also a powerlifter, the response to Thomson was downright shocking. Namely, to paraphrase the letter, Thomson was told to shut her mouth; never to “misgender” anyone; that “the law” prevents the BCPA from going after cheaters; and, oh by the way, if Thomson is thinking about quitting powerlifting, then good riddance.

The letter is absolutely astonishing given that the female president of the BCPA clearly has zero empathy for Thomson and her plight to keep female powerlifting female. Rather, Luthor Thomas has become something of a woke joke, someone who is all too content to allow female powerlifting in British Columbia to devolve into a mockery.

Indeed, check out the entire egregious letter Luthor Thomas sent to Kathleen Thomson. The cowardice and ignorance in the name of political correctness speaks for itself:

Hi Kathleen,

Thank you for your patience with this reply. The BCPA Board had a meeting scheduled for Sunday April 14th where I raised your complaint to be discussed more formally. I am unsure what background knowledge you have in regards to this topic, so I apologize if this is redundant.

For several years, there has been active and costly discussion across the CPU and its member provinces and the IPF regarding trans lifters and their eligibility to compete in their identified gender categories. The CPU engaged multiple external organizations and sought legal advice to create its policy. Regardless of personal views of the membership, the BCPA Board of Directors, and the CPU Executive, this policy must make reasonable efforts to reduce discrimination in compliance with Canadian federal law, BC law, the BC Human Rights Code, and the IPF’s policies. This policy is available on the CPU website, and states that transgender athletes can compete as they identify at a local/provincial level, and at Regionals and Nationals in compliance with the IPF Transgender Policy when competing with the ‘Elite’ membership.

In addition to the advice and recommendations the CPU received at a federal level, the BCPA sought additional legal consultation and received clarity with on our responsibilities with respect to the BC Human Rights Code:

“In BC, everyone has the right to define their gender identity and to express their gender. Trans people must be recognized and treated as the gender they live in and prefer to express. Not permitting athletes to compete in their preferred gender category is discriminatory under BC human rights law. Put simply, it is a legal expectation in BC that organizations of all kinds must accommodate trans people.”

Per the BC Human Rights Code, provincial law, and national law, the BCPA has no intention in changing this policy. Your fight is with those who create these codes and laws that we have to abide by, not the BCPA. Your repeated statements misgendering athletes and referring to a transgender woman as a “biological man” is a violation of the BC Human Rights Code.

As a BCPA and CPU member you have signed to abide by the organizations’ policies and bylaws. If you wish to withdraw your membership, you may do so per article 2:01 of the BCPA Bylaws.

Petitions to the BCPA to exclude trans athletes from sport or create a separate category are misguided: we are not the right avenue for this. We are required to adhere to the policies and laws that govern us. Targeting individual athletes who are competing in their rightful category, compliant with the BCPA and CPU policies and bylaws, and provincial and federal law is unacceptable and will not be tolerated.

This is a warning that misgendering and referring to a transgender female as a “biological man” and openly contesting or protesting athletes' right to compete in their competitive category will undoubtedly result in disciplinary action.This is not a question of subjective debate, personal views, or even BCPA and CPU policy. This is a violation of the law and specifically the BC Human Rights Code.

You may voice your opinion in compliance with the law, through section 9 of the CPU Policy on Transgender and Gender Diversity Inclusion:

1. Objections

9.1. Enquiries into an athlete’s right to compete in a given category must be done through the CPU Ethics Committee, [email protected].

9.2. Openly contesting or protesting an athlete’s right to compete in their competitive category is prohibited and could be considered Psychological Maltreatment and a violation of the CPU Code of Conduct.

I hope you can respect, understand and appreciate that running this organization as volunteers, we have adopted a policy that is in the best interest of the BCPA and its members. As President, I will not put the organization or its board members at risk of a human rights tribunal and possible insolvency.

I would like the BCPA to continue to be a welcoming, supportive environment that you have experienced, which involves treating all athletes and volunteers with dignity and respect.

Any further attempts to contest this policy will be respectfully ignored.

Regards,
Jennifer Luther Thomas

On behalf of the BCPA Board of Directors

Amazing…

Bottom line: our fervent hope is that Kathleen Thomson keeps fighting for fairness. And that Jennifer Luther Thomas resigns in disgrace…