Transgender women in sports has been a hot button topic for a number of years. In this article we dive deep into the science behind the claims.
The United States went through a myriad of societal changes since 2020. Among the shifts in daily life, political realities changed significantly. Though transsexual people have always existed, groups like Alliance Defending Freedom and Eagle Forum emphasized employing legislation, science, and public opinion to restrict trans individuals’ access to resources and public life, experiencing a strong resurgence in the US political sphere.
These groups preach that including trans women and girls in women’s sports places cis women and girls at a significant disadvantage. Because of this, they believe, trans women should exclude themselves from participating along with their cis counterparts.
Though many people point to science to explain their support for anti-trans legislation and a general mistrust of trans individuals, science doesn’t strongly support that perspective.
The scientific community, athletes themselves, and organizations worldwide tell a quite different story. People in America face an onslaught of negative attention. A large majority of that vitriol imposed on trans women comes from the world of sports.
Sistas Are Doing It For Themselves
World class athletes across the gender spectrum dedicate their lives to athleticism and competition, and that dedication is at the forefront of many of their perspectives on the subject. This is reflected in the allyship of various cis women in sports who have stood in solidarity with their trans sisters and shared their unwavering support for trans women athletes and their right to play. In 2020, noted athletes Candace Parker, Billie Jean King, and Megan Rapinoe joined forces with Lambda Legal to combat anti-trans legislation geared toward transgender women in sports. Each of these women served as signatories on a brief filed on behalf of trans athletes by Lambda Legal, an organization known for advocating for LGBTQ+ individuals.
The Women’s Sports Foundation quoted King saying, “I’m proud to support all transgender athletes who simply want the access and opportunity to compete in the sport they love. The global athletic community grows stronger when we welcome and champion all athletes – including LGBTQI+ athletes.”. Though many athletes have spoken out about the treatment of transgender women in sports and the need for change, including trans women themselves, some argue that biological differences between cis and trans women create an unfair advantage that sullies women’s sports and disrespects cis women. But does that opinion hold up against the realities of cis and trans women in sports, science, and the court of public opinion?
Facts Over Feelings
Though many people point to science to explain their support for anti-trans legislation and a general mistrust of trans individuals, science doesn’t strongly support that perspective. For starters, it’s important to note that contrary to what many have been taught, biological sex is not binary. According to the Scientific American,“Doctors have long known that some people straddle the boundary—their sex chromosomes say one thing, but their gonads (ovaries or testes) or sexual anatomy say another.” Much of what determines biological sex is associated with information that the everyday person isn’t aware of and is more nuanced than the individual will likely ever know.
Scientific effect
The world hasn’t quite caught up to this scientific reality. Sports are still divided between men and women as is much of our society, based on secondary sex characteristics but that doesn’t mean that there isn’t room for re-examining and expanding boundaries. Many people cite biological differences between the sexes to support their anti-trans positions however experts challenge that idea. OBGYN specialist Dr Marci Bowers, told The Guardian, “The fact is, human beings actually differ very little in their sexual dimorphism, much less so than other species.
In society, we use things like how we wear our hair and clothes to differentiate. The difference is not very great. We all have estrogen and we all have testosterone. So when you get an incredibly conditioned athlete who is at the top of their game and is successful, I understand the angst. But it would trouble me more if it was a natal female taking anabolic steroids.”.
OBGYN specialist Dr Marci Bowers, told The Guardian, “The fact is, human beings actually differ very little in their sexual dimorphism, much less so than other species. In society, we use things like how we wear our hair and clothes to differentiate.
Medical impact
Medical transitions often negatively impact muscle mass and other key performance-related characteristics which directly contradict the idea that trans women unequivocally have advantages over cis women in all athletic pairings. While variations between some trans and cis women can attribute to transition, variations occur between two cis athletes. When asked about trans MMA fighter Fallon Fox, Bowers told The Guardian “There are taller women than her, there are bigger women than her, there are stronger women than her”. The combination of biological sex being more complex than we have been taught, and variation occurring among both trans and cis woman athletes, creates a landscape where it would be reasonable to accept both trans and cis athletes.
Across athletic environments, decorated and highly skilled trans women compete, but they do not dominate any field. If trans women had an incredible advantage as athletes, they would dominate every sport they compete in. Cis women and trans women are consistently pitted against one another, yet we are shown that they have a lot more in common than they have to be in conflict over.
Transgender women’s Legal Woes
According to HRC, “A new PBS/NPR/Marist poll states that 67% of Americans, including 66% of Republicans, oppose the anti-transgender sports ban legislation proliferating across 30 states.” Unfortunately, many state legislators work against the desires of their constituents. In general, 2021 was one of the most impactful years thus far for anti-trans legislation. Hundreds of bills introduced in dozens of states restrict the rights of trans individuals. In addition, seven anti-trans laws directly related to trans people in sports passed in several states. Recently, an Ohio bill has come under fire for requiring “students whose sex is “disputed” to provide a physician’s statement verifying “internal and external reproductive anatomy” and other criteria,” according to Reuters.
67% of Americans, including 66% of Republicans, oppose the anti-transgender sports ban legislation proliferating across 30 states
This intrusive and extreme requirement does not prioritize the well-being of young people but rather platforms the prejudice of a select few railing against a world they are struggling to understand. On a collegiate and grade school level, it’s clear that the pushback against transgender women in sports is not in the best interest of any of the athletes. Collegiate sports are feeling the consequences of this obsession with trans people in general and women in particular as well.
HR 734 federally passed in April 2023. The legislation states it’s “a violation of Title IX” to “allow individuals of the male sex to participate in programs or activities that are designated for women or girls.” and that “sex shall be recognized based solely on a person’s reproductive biology and genetics at birth,” according to ESPN. Though many who support such legislation emphasize the importance of science and public interest in weighing the pros and cons of including trans athletes alongside cis athletes, other issues are clearly at play in the conversation.
Facing Facts
There are cis people who push back against trans people being in spaces with them and transgender women in sports is no exception. There are cis women who have filed suit against fellow athletes because they are trans and some have even decided to withdraw from competitions to protest competing with trans athletes. But those women are outliers and it’s time to let them stand on the margins and feel the full force of standing alone.
Cece Telfer spoke about the plight of trans women in sports in an interview with The Advocate, saying “The world of sports has done a huge injustice to transgender women because they’ve painted us as these villains to women’s sports.” Fallon Fox spoke candidly for The Guardian about the problem with anti-trans activists “What they’re doing is using people’s ignorance of biology and their hatred of a particular group, mushing that all together in one big ball, and it has the effect of convincing the most gullible.”
My take
Notable athletes like Fallon Fox and Cece Telfer have spoken out about the unfair treatment of trans athletes. They believe that they shouldn’t have to fight so hard to compete. The plight of trans women in sports is indicative of a larger problem with misrepresenting trans individuals wholly. Trans women are undoubtedly different from their cis counterparts, but differences shouldn’t equal disparities in access. Trans women and cis women have been competing side by side for decades. Can continue that tradition and give all women an opportunity to showcase their hard work, dedication, and unbreakable spirits?
Sources:
“Billie Jean King, Megan Rapinoe, and Candace Parker Join Nearly 200 Athletes Supporting Trans Youth Participation in Sports.” Women’s Sports Foundation, 21 Dec. 2020, www.womenssportsfoundation.org/press_release/billie-jean-king-megan-rapinoe-and-candace-parker-join-nearly-200-athletes-supporting-trans-youth-participation-in-sports/.
Claire Ainsworth. “Sex Redefined: The Idea of 2 Sexes Is Overly Simplistic.” Scientific American, 22 Oct. 2018, www.scientificamerican.com/article/sex-redefined-the-idea-of-2-sexes-is-overly-simplistic1/.
“Ohio Lawmakers Advance Trans Sports Ban with Genital Check.” Reuters, 3 June 2022, www.reuters.com/world/us/ohio-lawmakers-advance-trans-sports-ban-with-genital-check-2022-06-03/.
Cooper, Alex. “CeCé Telfer on Being a Transgender Woman Athlete.” Www.advocate.com, 12 Apr. 2023, www.advocate.com/sports/cece-telfer-like-a-girl.
Truitt, Jos. “Fallon Fox on Life as a Trans Athlete: “The Scope of Vitriol and Anger Was Mind-Blowing.”” The Guardian, 16 Feb. 2015, www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/feb/16/fallon-fox-trans-mma-athlete-interview.
Barnes, Katie. “Transgender Athlete Laws by State: Legislation, Science, More.” ESPN.com, 24 Aug. 2023, www.espn.com/espn/story/_/id/38209262/transgender-athlete-laws-state-legislation-science.
Ronan, Wyatt. “2021 Officially Becomes Worst Year in Recent History for LGBTQ State Legislative Attacks…” Human Rights Campaign, 7 May 2021, www.hrc.org/press-releases/2021-officially-becomes-worst-year-in-recent-history-for-lgbtq-state-legislative-attacks-as-unprecedented-number-of-states-enact-record-shattering-number-of-anti-lgbtq-measures-into-law.
“Get the Facts about Transgender & Non-Binary Athletes.” Human Rights Campaign, www.hrc.org/resources/get-the-facts-about-transgender-non-binary-athletes#:~:text=These%20athletes%20include%20Women.
