“Being the first transgender woman to compete at the Paralympics has historical significance and is a significant symbol of inclusivity.”
Sex Matters’ Maya Forstater was among those who entered the gender controversy surrounding Petrillo’s participation.
In a post on X, she called it “absurd” that the sprinter was permitted to race against women who were more than eighteen years her junior.
On X, someone else wrote: “This is really unfair,” while someone else added: “It needs to be stopped.”
Prior to making the switch in 2019, Petrillo participated in men’s national competitions. The athlete had Stargardt disease from birth, which is a degenerative eye disorder in which tissue grows on the little portion of the retina responsible for clear vision.
A slow loss of vision is one of the common symptoms, and the condition is thought to be brought on by genetic alterations.
