Transgenderism and Ballet: Sport Not ‘Inclusive’

I moved out of my home at age 15 for ballet training, and I danced professionally before attending university. Perhaps naturally, upwards of 20 people sent me messages regarding a news controversy: A male dancer who goes by “Sophie Rebecca” began dancing at age 33 in 2014, became the first openly transgender person to pass the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) exams, and has since been the subject of a British Vogue profile, a BBC Stories feature, and, more recently, some misguided conservative outrage.

The hostile criticism toward Sophie Rebecca contains inaccuracies — but glorifying transgenderism in ballet is insane, because the dance style recognizes sex distinctions by prescribing different movements for men and women. Ballet is a highly discriminatory — not inclusive — sport, and the uncompromising standards of the ideal ballerina figure are unachievable for most women, let alone men identifying as women.

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Abigail Anthony

Abigail Anthony is a staff writer at National Review.

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I moved out of my home at age 15 for ballet training, and I danced professionally before attending university. Perhaps naturally, upwards of 20 people sent me messages regarding a news controversy: A male dancer who goes by “Sophie Rebecca” began dancing at age 33 in 2014, became the first openly transgender person to pass the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) exams, and has since been the subject of a British Vogue profile, a BBC Stories feature, and, more recently, some misguided conservative outrage.

The hostile criticism toward Sophie Rebecca contains inaccuracies — but glorifying transgenderism in ballet is insane, because the dance style recognizes sex distinctions by prescribing different movements for men and women. Ballet is a highly discriminatory — not inclusive — sport, and the uncompromising standards of the ideal ballerina figure are unachievable for most women, let alone men identifying as women.