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Colorado Republican Representative Lauren Boebert drew international backlash over a tweet attacking New Zealand weightlifter Laurel Hubbard.
Hubbard is a transgender woman. Despite Hubbard not being a top competitor in the sport, Boebert claimed her participation against United States' athlete Sarah Robles—who consistently outperforms Hubbard—is unfair.
This is not the first time the controversial lawmaker attacked LGBTQ+ people.
Her most recent attack was a tweet about weightlifter Laurel Hubbard of New Zealand, who will make history as the first openly trans athlete to compete in the Olympic Games in Tokyo next month. The International Olympic Committee adopted rules about trans athletes and Hubbard conformed to those IOC guidelines.
Boebert tweeted:
"Olympic weightlifter Sarah Robles is the first American to win a medal in the sport since 2000."
"In the upcoming Olympics, Sarah will be competing against a biological male from New Zealand who previously competed in men's weightlifting competitions."
"This is WRONG!"
The tweet included a transphobic meme of Robles and Hubbard captioned "USA's best female" and "New Zealand's biological male."
"WELCOME TO THE WOKE OLYMPICS."
Olympic weightlifter Sarah Robles is the first American to win a medal in the sport since 2000.\n\nIn the upcoming Olympics, Sarah will be competing against a biological male from New Zealand who previously competed in men\u2019s weightlifting competitions.\n\nThis is WRONG!pic.twitter.com/VCxHRfEBuA— Lauren Boebert (@Lauren Boebert) 1624294667
Boebert who dropped out of school in 2004 and received her GED in 2020 just before her election win, was criticized for her ignorance of human gender, biology, medicine and IOC rules.
The Florida born Boebert runs a gun themed restaurant in the town of Rifle, Colorado where servers are encouraged to open carry firearms. Boebert and her husband had numerous run-ins with law enforcement before and after their marriage. The couple have close ties to radical White nationalist militia groups including the Oath Keepers and Three Percenters.
People had facts for Boebert and others who supported her transphobic stance.
Sarah Robles top set - 631lbs \nLaurel Hubbard top set - 628lbs \n\nI think we need to be less concerned about what is in their pants and look at how they compare as athletes.— NOTPILLOWGUY (@NOTPILLOWGUY) 1624295006
This\n\nStrength is only one part of weightlifting too, technique is what will make or break your medal chances— Ailias \ud83c\udded\ud83c\uddf2 #AboriginalLivesMatter (@Ailias \ud83c\udded\ud83c\uddf2 #AboriginalLivesMatter) 1624460774
Let's let the athletes and the sports decide how to handle this.\n\nYOU are uniquely unqualified to comment on this and should be paying attention to much more important issues like, let's see..., GUN VIOLENCE!\n\n#Boobert— Eric Rappaport (@Eric Rappaport) 1624294801
In 2017, Hubbard told New Zealand's Stuff magazine:
"I'm mindful I won't be supported by everyone, but I hope that people can keep an open mind and perhaps look at my performance in a broader context."
Addressing the most frequent complaint about trans women athletes, Hubbard pointed out it took her years to achieve any success in her sport and she's still not a dominant performer.
People who oppose trans girls and women playing or competing in sports claim trans women would have unfair advantages even though decades of trans athletes have never produced a champion.
Hubbard said:
"Perhaps the fact that it has taken so long for someone like myself to come through indicates that some of the problems that people are suggesting aren't what they might seem."
The IOC rules state trans women can compete in the female category if they maintain a total testosterone level below 10 nanomoles per liter for at least 12 months. Hubbard meets this requirement.
Nothing worse than an Ugly American dictating to the world who may represent their country in the Olympics. Hubbard (from NZ) is eligible to compete in the Olympics as her testosterone levels fall within IOC guidelines for any transgender athlete to compete. Get over it Boebert!— Kevin (@Kevin) 1624301324
Cisgender women with conditions like PCOS often have testosterone levels that exceed the IOC standard for trans women.
People had plenty of opinions on Boebert's tweet.
This reply made me laugh.— robalo (@robalo) 1624534955
I'm sorry you've been suckered into not understanding how this all works, Lauren. Do a little scientific research and you'll feel a lot better. Funny how education can do that (not that you're a big fan of education, but maybe it's time to start trying.)— SoMuchEnough (@SoMuchEnough) 1624299884
Ah, someone else who could stand to do a little reading by actual experts in the applicable fields.— SoMuchEnough (@SoMuchEnough) 1624378336
I'd like to point out that America didn't make this rule for the Olympics.— RIKKI (@RIKKI) 1624306654
Hahahahaha \n |\n |\nV\nThis is Jacinta answering that callpic.twitter.com/IcHGEkr1Vq— Ailias \ud83c\udded\ud83c\uddf2 #AboriginalLivesMatter (@Ailias \ud83c\udded\ud83c\uddf2 #AboriginalLivesMatter) 1624460916
I\u2019m willing to wager that the people of your district have more pressing items on their minds than the International Olympic Committee decisions.— RAppell (@RAppell) 1624301558
She called far right anti government militia "patriots"... Is that ridiculous enough?— M\u00f6p \ud83d\udd34\ud83d\udc89\ud83d\udc89 (@M\u00f6p \ud83d\udd34\ud83d\udc89\ud83d\udc89) 1624308402
Wait, she\u2019ll think that\u2019s a challenge!— Gary McDougall (@Gary McDougall) 1624295044
Robles is favored to make the podium in Tokyo, while Hubbard is a longshot as the oldest competitor and given her rankings in prior world competitions.
Statistically, the only clear advantage belongs to Robles.