–– Paul Schlehlein
The audio version of this article is available here: YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.
A brouhaha has formed in the women’s boxing division of the 2024 Olympics. Imane Khelif, a boxer from the North African country of Algeria, defeated Angela Carini from Italy in 46 seconds. Carini withdrew after just two blows, saying she had never been hit so hard. She cried: “It’s not fair!”
Background to Problem
In March of 2023, the International Boxing Association (IBA) disqualified Khelif after DNA tests showed Khelif’s XY chromosomes proved he was a man. Since then, the IBA has been banned from running the 2024 Olympic boxing events, replaced by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which has more relaxed rules. While vicious debate over Khelif’s gender has continued between the two associations, the IOC reinstated Khelif for the 2024 Olympic Games.
Several markers indicate Khelif is male. Just by the eyeball test, Khelif looks like a man. Moreover, the IBA said Khelif has male XY chromosomes. Third, this year’s Paris Olympics has flaunted its woke agenda from the beginning, making it unsurprising that a trans participant could be shoehorned into the boxing events. The opening ceremonies began with a blasphemous, drag queen mockery of the Lord’s Supper, which, despite what some churchmen have concluded, was rightly condemned throughout the world, including a censure by former US President Trump. The Paris Olympics has boasted it includes nearly 200 openly LGBTQ athletes.
This is nothing new. In a previous article called “Why Caster if Faster”, we showed that despite Caster Semenya having XY chromosomes, male genitalia and high levels of testosterone, virtually every news outlet insists that “he” be referred to as “she”.
Why Women’s Boxing is UnChristian
Perhaps the Christian’s greatest concern should not be that a man is beating up a woman in a ring, evil as this is. It’s that women are even boxing in the first place. The crowds have enjoyed male boxing as an Olympic sport since 1904, with women’s boxing not introduced until a hundred years later in 2012. Why has there been no uproar about the event itself?
Women’s boxing is grotesque, as is sitting down to watch it. Here are three reasons why.
First, women’s boxing contradicts the biblical call for men, not women, to fight. Men may participate in boxing, as wrestling and fighting is a fixture of their nature. Men who learn the basics of boxing will grow in strength and toughness and can better carry out their role in defending their families. The Apostle Paul used boxing as an illustration (1Cor. 9:26), indicating he didn’t consider it evil, though the Christian should guard against extreme violent sports like MMA.
In 2013, the United States military lifted its ban against women fighting in ground combat. By contrast, God only instructed men to fight in Israel (Num. 1:2-4). Soldiers in Scripture are always men. Abraham, Moses, Caleb and Joshua all fought nobly. Yahweh is a man of war. David showcased his vaunted mighty men. We could on and on.
In fact, weak men who refuse to fight are compared to women. Jeremiah 51:30 says:
“The warriors of Babylon have ceased fighting; they remain in their strongholds; their strength has failed; they have become women; her dwellings are on fire; her bars are broken.”
Deuteronomy 22:5 says it is an abomination for a woman to wear a man’s garment. A case could be made that this speaks against more than just the clothing of a transvestite. It may allude to battle armour, meaning GI Jane is Hollywood but not holy. Whether it’s in military fatigues or a police uniform, women should never fight in war. God gave this charge to men.
Second, women’s boxing encourages physical aggression, which is contrary to the female nature. God has designed women to be soft, gentle, fragile and nurturing. We should honour women, remembering that they are physically weaker than men, for according to 1 Peter 3:7, that is how God has created them, whereas men that are physically weak should, in most cases, be derided.
Muscles are attractive on men but ugly on women. Scars, gashes and bruises act as badges of honour on men, but tokens of deep sympathy on women.
Physical strength is a masculine trait. In the animal kingdom, elks have antlers and rams have horns to win fights. Likewise, God has designed human males for strength, with between 60-100 percent more force than women. A man’s punching power is sometimes double to triple that of women, often the weakest men outpunching the strongest women.
Third, women’s boxing is a further step towards androgyny. In his book It’s Good to Be a Man, Michael Foster and Bnonn Tennant argue that the greatest enemy in our day is not misogyny (men against women), or misandry (women against men) but androgyny, the smashing together of genders so there remains no difference. Today’s world wants to collapse all divisions between the sexes. If men can powerlift, box and play rugby, then so can women.
To do this, women must become more masculine and men must become more feminine. Watch a modern movie or commercial and you’ll see this is exactly what is happening in our world. Research shows that grip strength in modern men is weaker than the women from just a few decades ago.
Special cases
There are times when women should exert physical aggression. Before our marriage, my wife slept with a Glock 9mm pistol near her bed. If a perp had entered her room, she was prepared to send him to the afterlife.
But this doesn’t prove she should drive a tank for her country, any more than Jael’s spike through Sisera’s skull meant she should fight with shield and spear for Israel (Judges 4:17-22). Exceptions don’t cancel the rule. Men are made to fight, women are not.
Conclusion
In sum, a man should never strike a woman, even if he calls himself a she. Nor should women strike other women, for this is in contrast to their gentle nature. The gospel of Jesus frees us to carry out these God-given roles.
The good news is that Christ did for sinners what they could not do for themselves. According to Ephesians 5:25, men fight to protect women because Jesus Christ gave his life to protect His bride, and this should motivate us to walk in His footsteps.