CNN aired a special documentary entitled The Whole Story with Anderson Cooper: The Battle Over Transgender Athletes on Sunday that purported to be a nuanced look at the issue of transgenderism’s relationship with women’s sports. However, the program clearly had a preferred side, as it claimed there’s no evidence that men who think they are women have an athletic advantage despite showing examples of people climbing the leaderboard and setting records after their transition.
Despite his name being on the title, Cooper barely appeared during the show, instead, the documentary bounced around to various subjects who each said their own piece. In one clip, former NCAA swimmer Riley Gaines was denouncing the movement in a speech, “A lot of world leaders, the message that they're sending is that we as women don't matter. Our safety doesn't matter. Privacy: forget it.”
Now, speaking directly to the camera, Gaines added, “When you have males who have gone through male puberty, it takes away that fairness. We can't neglect fairness and safety in hopes to be inclusive.”
CNN then put up text on the screen for viewers to read, “Research on whether transgender athletes have an advantage is limited. A 2017 Sports Medicine study concluded there is ‘no direct or consistent research’ showing that transgender people have an athletic advantage.”
But, we have real-world evidence. One of the sob stories CNN chose to highlight was that of Meghan Cortez-Fields, who, elsewhere in the documentary, claimed to be aware that he was really a she at age five. Cortez-Fields recalled switching from the men’s swim team to the women’s, “Once I'm in that race, it's just I got to go. My mom would be proud of me. So no matter what, I will always try my hardest. I'm just afraid for the reception that I will get if I try my hardest in six feet. And I was afraid that if I was able to win, all of my success would be discredited because I was trans.”
Again, CNN put up some graphics, “In February 2024, Meghan broke two school records and placed 2nd in the 100-yard butterfly at a championship meet, the last of her career.”
It then played a clip of Fox’s Gillian Turner and John Roberts with the former reporting, “After transferring from the men's team over to the women's, Meghan Cortez-Fields smashed Ramapo College's 100-yard butterfly record.”
Roberts added, “Like Lia Thomas, gets into the women's category and starts blowing records away.”
There are other examples as well, but CNN insists there is no evidence. Perhaps, Sports Medicine should update their study.
Here is a transcript for the May 12 show:
CNN The Whole Story with Anderson Cooper: The Battle Over Transgender Athletes
5/12/2024
8:34 PM ET
RILEY GAINES: A lot of world leaders, the message that they're sending is that we as women don't matter. Our safety doesn't matter. Privacy: forget it.
When you have males who have gone through male puberty, it takes away that fairness. We can't neglect fairness and safety in hopes to be inclusive.
GRAPHICS: Research on whether transgender athletes have an advantage is limited. A 2017 Sports Medicine study concluded there is "no direct or consistent research" showing that transgender people have an athletic advantage.
…
MEGHAN CORTEZ-FIELDS: Once I'm in that race, it's just I got to go. My mom would be proud of me. So no matter what, I will always try my hardest. I'm just afraid for the reception that I will get if I try my hardest in six feet. And I was afraid that if I was able to win, all of my success would be discredited because I was trans.
GRAPHICS: In February 2024, Meghan broke two school records and placed 2nd in the 100-yard butterfly at a championship meet, the last of her career.
GILLIAN TURNER: After transferring from the men's team over to the women's Meghan Cortez-Fields, smashed Ramapo College's 100-yard butterfly record.
JOHN ROBERTS: Like Lia Thomas, gets into the women's category and starts blowing records away.
IRENEBRITUSA [YOUTUBE PERSONALITY]: And the woman who came second has to just accept it.
CORTEZ-FIELDS: Something has definitely become a battleground for this disagreement.
