Chastity White Rose

I am Chastity White Rose. I am a transgender woman who has known how to play chess since I was 9 years old. I beat the man who taught me, Patrick, in my third game. I once was heavily into the game of chess, but then, after I started working a job, I got busy, and I didn't have time to play with the seniors at the Gamber Center anymore. By this time, I am sure that my old friends Hank and Jerry are no longer alive, and I miss them.

What happened to get me back into the game of chess after not playing for over ten years was rather strange. Apparently, there is controversy over whether transgender women are allowed to play in women's chess tournaments. For more information, I offer the following links.

www.chess.com/news/view/fide-publishes-controversial-new-transgender-policy

The rules don't affect me as a person who only plays online and is not part of official tournaments. I also would NEVER join a women's only tournament because I would rather face sexual harassment by men playing in the standard tournaments where both men and women are allowed than participate in a tournament restricted to only one gender.

I have also never believed that men and women should be separated in chess because it is the one sport where everyone is equal. Chess is a war of the mind, and what genitals you were born with or how you identify isn't going to help you win the game.