What did John Oliver say about trans athletes? Complete controversy explained as J.K. Rowling and Ben Shapiro tear into comedian

John Oliver's latest talk on transgender athletes has sparked intense responses from critics, including political commentator Ben Shapiro and writer J.K. Rowling. In his talk show on Last Week Tonight, Oliver stood up for letting trans women join women's sports, while also trying to disprove claims that biological differences lead to unfair edges. His view has since faced sharp comebacks from those who say his take ignores scientific studies and twists key facts.

Oliver said,

“It is obviously true that on average, cisgender men and post-pubescent boys have some specific athletic performance advantages.”

“It is undoubtedly true that trans women will maintain advantages in some sports.” he added.

A key part of the uproar comes from a comment request sent by Oliver's crew to the Women's Liberation Front, a group that calls itself a radical feminist outfit. The request made by Dee Brent, a transgender fact-checker and researcher for Oliver's show, seemed to have leading questions meant to test the numbers used to argue against trans women taking part in female groups.

The organization later publicly released the correspondence, suggesting it was evidence of bias in the show’s approach.

Controversy surrounding John Oliver’s segment on trans women in sports

John Oliver’s segment attempted to challenge the claim that trans women have won '900' medals in women’s sports within a single year. He dismissed this figure as a myth, highlighting specific cases—such as an Irish Dance competition and a series of poker tournaments won by trans women—as examples of exaggerated concerns.

However, critics argue that Oliver failed to acknowledge that the actual number, 890, is backed by publicly available data. This omission, they claim, undermines his argument that trans women winning in female sports is rare.

Ben Shapiro responded to Oliver's comments claiming he ignored scientific facts. Shapiro highlighted that biological differences remain even after transitioning, giving trans women an edge in competitive sports. These differences include muscle mass, bone density, and hormone exposure. He slammed Oliver for focusing on identity instead of fairness, saying his segment appealed more to emotions than facts.

Author J.K. Rowling also weighed in on the controversy, responding to a post on X that criticized Oliver’s stance.

Rowling reposted a message on X that read:

“HBO aired a 45 minute episode of Last Week Tonight, in which John Oliver argued that men have only limited or no advantage over women in sports, and men winning in women’s sports almost never happens, on the same evening that a women’s pool final was contested between two men.”

In response, the Harry Potter author wrote:

"I understand why men like Oliver, who’ve consistently mocked anti-science people on the right, sold out initially. They didn’t want to blow up their careers. Taking fashionable anti-women’s rights positions was the cost of doing business. But it’s time to read the fucking room.”

While John Oliver and his supporters frame the discussion as one of inclusion and equality, critics argue that ignoring biological realities creates an uneven playing field.

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