Tokyo Marathon set to create non-binary option for runners

No need, just have women (real women) and others.

As per actualy science, humans are either XX or XY, thus they are binary.

Anything else, is a rare and exceptional deformaty, and would be classified as such by secular and objective scientist.

True actual science doesn't care about politics or trends

BanthuToday 07:42 am JST

As per actualy science, humans are either XX or XY, thus they are binary.

0.2% of "males" are XXY. Small but not extremely rare.

TaiwanIsNotChinaToday  07:58 am JST

0.2% of "males" are XXY. Small but not extremely rare.

They're still male, though.

I suspect males will dominate the competition.

The Japanese government needs to stop pushing this leftist nonsense! There are only two categories Male and female, women had to fight hard for the right to even compete in marathons. We have very deranged men pretending to be women harming women and they have no shame!

Time to put this craziness to bed once and for all!

Why not just eliminate gender from the race altogether?

Every one is listed as, gasp……. “a runner!”

no race issues, no gender issues. The first human to cross the line, wins.

The end.

Why not just eliminate gender from the race altogether?

If you wish to stop celebrating the hard work and effort put in by so many women, sure.

Japan, please stop importing all that is bad and all of the non-sense and retardnes from USA. All those "non-binary" people are just gay people with mental issues.

Stop promoting and importing this non-sense.

If you wish to stop celebrating the hard work and effort put in by so many women, sure.

I thought every one was supposed to be “equal.”

I guess not, by that logic.

I thought every one was supposed to be “equal.”

We are not. That's why we have competitions and winners.

And the sexes are not equal either. Men are physically stronger in many ways. Were you... were you paying attention in biology? Or P.E.? Or even in every day life?

Presumably this does not grant extra privileges or hinder anyone else, so I don't see any harm.

Its not as if they are going to carve off 1/3 of the men's and women's prizemoney and give it to the non-binary winner. If any spots in the race are reserved for non-binary, I bet loads of people would happily self declare as non-binary to get in. I'd do it myself, a rainbow-coloured number wouldn't bother me. The race is usually full within five minutes or so of the applications opening.

In one sense, this is a wise, forward-thinking move by Japan : the "female" category will now be (hopefully) exclusive to genetically born females - not men wearing wigs and self-identifying as women in order to have an advantage.

The most alarming trend in modern sport is when men dress up as women - and in many cases are still fully intact males - to compete against and beat genetic women. Sadly this is now even happening at college level in America - in swimming, track and field etc.

So, hats off to Japan.

Create a born male, born female and others category.

Like it or not, this is the trend for the future. They want representation even though they only make up a tiny portion of the population.

The positive is that men who underwent gender surgery/treatment can compete in this category and not against real women.

Anyone who things transwomen should be allowed to participate with women simply hates women. There is no other explanation. If we are to allow trans to participate in sports, it must either be only in the men's divisions or in a separate division. Forcing women to compete against biological males is abuse.

I wonder if Tokyo marathon is going to set up 'non-binary' toilets and change rooms so actual women won't have men in the women's toilet and change rooms...

@Banthu

As per actualy science, humans are either XX or XY, thus they are binary.

Anything else, is a rare and exceptional deformaty, and would be classified as such by secular and objective scientist.

True actual science doesn't care about politics or trends

Actual science disagrees with you, while rare, there are other combinations than those two. Does your Google not work?

Try googling "when japan had three genders". This stuff isn't new, it's not wrong, and it won't go away.

the "female" category will now be (hopefully) exclusive to genetically born females

There is nothing to suggest that this is about limiting who can compete as a woman. Transwomen and any potential man-in-a-dress cheats would declare as "women" anyway, not as "non-binary".

Like it or not, this is the trend for the future. They want representation even though they only make up a tiny portion of the population.

What representation are they getting here? All they have done is added one more box to tick on a form for folks who do not want to tick "male" or "female". Its no different to changing the entry form to accept names with more than four characters, a constant headache for people with longer non-Japanese names.

I am completely fine with the idea and supportive to transgender people and I personally know several of them.

However, I strongly believe that in professional sports competitions only biological gender should matter. In some sports biological males are way stronger than females which is giving them unfair advantage. Also, what is stopping countries like China to abuse the system and forcefully make some of their athletes female and send them to compete.

There are many reasons why some men "identify" as women. Not all of them are deserving of our support and sympathy.

I am completely fine with the idea and supportive to transgender people

Except this news is not about transgender people and in which group they compete. Everyone above is quick to issue their hot take on the transgender discussion that they forgot to read the article.

This is about people who do not identify with any gender, and it gives them their own category. The article spells it out:

"a category for those whose gender identity falls outside of male or female"

This is about people who do not identify with any gender, and it gives them their own category. The article spells it out:

You're right. 3 categories. Men. Women. Other. Give it a trial run. If they can maintain viewer numbers and pull in advertisers, great. If not, Remove the new category.

Next!

I thought marathons were not all that competitive and runners were running against themselves. It was more about the journey than the end result. I guess I was wrong.

The other 5 of the Big 6 Marathons already have this category with no issue

The other World Major Marathons —Berlin, Boston, Chicago, London, and New York— have added the non-binary category over the past few years

If Tokyo wants to remain one of the Big 6, they all have to be on par. The category is there to stay: the men compete against other men; the women compete against other women; and the non-binary runners compete against other non-binary runners. There's no problem