Bearded Weightlifter Identified As Woman To Troll Competition And Beat Record Set By Transgender Person: "You Go Girl!"
Avi Silverberg trolled the Canadian Powerlifting Union (CPU) by identifying as female and entering a women's weightlifting competition, beating the previous record held by transgender Anne Andres.
Male powerlifting coach Avi Silverberg recently entered a women's bench press competition in Alberta, Canada, by identifying as female. Silverberg beat the previous record set by transperson Anne Andres in an act of defiance against the Canadian Powerlifting Union's (CPU) outrageous policies. Silverberg, who does not truly identify as transgender, reportedly participated to protest Canada's self-identification rules. As of February 2023, Canada allows anyone who identifies as a woman to compete in the female category.
A video uploaded by the activist group Independent Council on Women's Sports (ICONS) displays the coach with a full beard dressed in a singlet. He then went on to bench press nearly 370 pounds, beating Andres' previous record of 270 pounds, who is seen walking up the platform toward the end of the video.
"🏋️♂️ Team Canada powerlifting coach, Avi Silverberg just broke the Alberta WOMEN's bench press record in the 84+ kg category at the 'Heroes Classic,'" tweeted @icons_women. "Former record holder, trans-identifying male, Anne Andres had a front row view as Silverberg mocked the discriminatory CPU policy by also unofficially breaking the women's world record in the event."
The CPU released its "trans inclusion policy" earlier this year. According to the documents on their official website, "all individuals deserve respectful and inclusive environments for participation that value the individual's gender identity and gender expression." It also adds: "Nor should there be any requirement for hormonal therapy or surgery.”
While Silverberg has yet to address his participation in the competition, Anne Andres has posted videos on Instagram to discuss the matter, calling Silverberg "a coward and a bigot" with "malicious intent." Ironically, Andres admitted in another clip that "maybe my participation isn't necessarily fair – you know, there's science, whatever."
Other social media users have shown their support for Silverberg while also mocking trans-extremist ideologies. "This young lady is getting a lot of hate," jokes @radioenvy as he points to a picture of Silverberg, "because she just set the women's powerlifting record on bench press in Canada. I don't understand, this transphobia is really getting out of hand. This is what peak female performance looks like, guys."
A user in the comments hilariously adds, "You go girl."
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