Earlier this month, a "Play the Game" conference was held in Finland that included a panel titled, "Who Has the Right to Compete? Exploring the Inclusion of Transgender Athletes in Sport."

The panel featured five speakers representing both sides of the controversial matter, including Joanna Marie Harper, a transgender professor at Western University in Canada.

Jon Pike, a philosophy professor at The Open University in England, argued that an open category should be created for transgender athletes to avoid any potential unfairness from biological males competing against girls and women.

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Harper, though, was not a fan of the idea, because "99%" of the open category "will be…cisgender male."

"And so what you are asking is for trans women to compete in a category which is virtually entirely cis men, and just call it an open category. Most trans women, myself included, would rather quit their sport than to compete in such a category," Harper said.

In a 2015 op-ed for The Washington Post, Harper wrote, "Science provides a clear explanation for why, in many sports, trans women don’t maintain any athletic advantage," citing hormone therapy and personal experiences.

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"By 2005, when I was racing in the women’s category, the difference was astounding. I finished one 10K in 42:01 — almost a full five minutes slower than I’d run the same course two years earlier as a man," Harper wrote.

Harper added that trans women could have advantages in sprinting and basketball due to muscle mass and already-garnered height, but may actually have disadvantages in distance running and gymnastics for those same reasons.

"For those who suggest trans women have advantages: we allow advantages in sport, but what we don’t allow is overwhelming advantages," Harper told Outsports in 2021. "Trans women also have disadvantages in sport. Our larger bodies are being powered by reduced muscle mass and reduced aerobic capacity, and can lead to disadvantages in quickness, recovery and a number of other factors.

"The bottom line is, we can have meaningful competition between trans women and cis women. From my point of the view, the data looks favorable toward trans women being allowed to compete in women’s sports."

Twenty-nine states currently have restrictions on transgender athletes competing in girls' and women's sports. President Donald Trump signed an executive order in February that prohibited biological males from competing against biological females.

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The U.S. State Department has issued an increased travel advisory pertaining to Madagascar, due to "crime and unrest."

The level 3 advisory was updated on Sept. 27. It cited protests occurring throughout the country that can "turn violent without warning."

Travelers are also warned about protesters engaging in rioting, looting, vandalism and destruction of property.

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"U.S. citizens should stay in place and avoid areas with protests or demonstrations," the advisory says. 

"Sporadic protests may develop quickly, especially after dark."

The advisory indicates that violent crime is on the rise in Madagascar and can occur after dark. 

"The Dahalo, criminal gangs known for stealing cattle, are clashing more with security forces," the advisory says.

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"This is happening mainly in areas south and west of the capital."

At least 32 people were killed in an area north of the capital of Antananarivo when the Dahalo set homes on fire in 2022, Reuters reported at the time.

State Department officials warn of armed robbery and assault that "can happen in remote areas," as well as on major national roads. 

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Madagascar is a popular destination for travelers who love exploration and visiting the rainforests, canyons and caves.

The island is home to over 110 species of lemurs, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

A military coup unfolded in Madagascar when the country's parliament voted to impeach President Andry Rajoelina, who recently fled the nation, as Fox News Digital reported.

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The State Department has four travel advisory levels to help travelers assess safety risks before visiting other countries.

The advisory levels are: Level 1 – Exercise Normal Precautions; Level 2 – Exercise Increased Caution; Level 3 – Reconsider Travel; and Level 4 – Do Not Travel.