A transgender golfer (who used to be a SWAT Team member) is suing the LPGA to join the tour. The LPGA, however, says their rules are that you have to be born a woman so he/she’s in the rough on this one. OK. You’re going to have to help me with this one. I’m in a mood. I keep thinking of metaphors and puns for this story like this being “par for the course” and something about a “hole in one.” But I’m not going to go there. I’m playing it straight on this one.
Fox Orlando reports:
Lana Lawless, the 2008 Women’s Long Drive Association (LDA) champion, claims in her lawsuit that her civil rights have been violated by the LPGA. The LPGA rules state that no one can play on tour unless she was born female.
The LPGA has rejected Lawless’ applications to enter qualifying events. Lawless is legally female after undergoing a sex change operation.
Lawless is also suing the LDA, which holds driving distance competitions. Lawless claims the LDA changed its rules to prevent her from entering future events after she won in 2008.
“California’s civil rights laws prevent discrimination against all minorities, including transgender persons. The LPGA and LDA operate a number of high profile qualifying events and tournaments in California which are highly lucrative to their sponsors,” said Lawless’ attorney, Christopher Dolan, in a statement.
So Lana Lawless (a Xena Princess Warrior fan, I guess?) is attempting to get California to declare the LPGA has to accept her if they want to play any golf there. Yup. Blackmail.
Why is this important? Because this will make women’s golf even harder to watch than it already is but more importantly this is the same kind of thing that’s happening to religious organizations which are perceived to “discriminate” against homosexuals and transgenders. They’ll sue. They’ll pressure the state which has great power to bully private organizations to do their will.
Let’s face it, the LPGA doesn’t want this fight. I’d bet the LPGA submits to the princess warrior’s threats at some point and lets her tee off. That’s the problem. That’s how it goes. All the time. It’s already started with the Church being pressured to administer gay adoptions and administer abortifacients in Catholic hospitals. In some cases religious organizations have resisted, in others not so much.
Either we as a society stand up to this kind of bullying or we should expect a lot more of it.
