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Imane Khelif: Colonialist smear campaign exposed

Khelif is a woman. Anything else you might claim is an attempt at erasure.

Published August 7, 2024 at 5:05am by

Transphobes Attack Female Boxer, Amplified by Right-Wing Elite

Transphobes are out in full force after Algerian boxer Imane Khelif's Olympic win, with right-wing figures like Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and J.K. Rowling amplifying their hate. Khelif, who has always competed as a woman, was deemed eligible to participate in women's boxing at the Paris 2024 Olympics, but transphobes are pushing a dangerous narrative that she is a man.

Khelif's victory has become a flashpoint in the conversation about transgender athletes in sports. Haters are spreading misinformation and outright lies, claiming that Khelif is not a woman, despite the International Olympic Committee (IOC) confirming her eligibility.

The hate-filled Instagram post:

"Beating women is now a spectator sport. Why are the #Olympics allowing this male to enter the boxing ring with a woman?"
"Imagine training your whole life, making [it] to the Olympics just to get your dreams literally smashed by some men! Enough is enough."

The post, of course, erases Khelif's identity and achievements as a woman and contributes to the dangerous rhetoric that endangers the lives of trans and gender non-conforming individuals.

Khelif and Lin Yu-ting of Taiwan faced disqualification at the 2023 Women's World Boxing Championships due to an arbitrary decision by the Russian-led International Boxing Association, which has since been stripped of its Olympic recognition. The IBA claimed that DNA tests showed the athletes had XY chromosomes, but the IOC has stated that the gender and age of athletes competing in the Olympics are based on their passports.

The LGBTQ+ community and allies must stand together against this transphobic backlash and show our support for Khelif and Lin. We cannot allow harmful and misguided opinions to dictate the discourse and endanger the lives of those who simply wish to participate in the sports they love.

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