How sports are handling transgender women in competition

The participation of transgender athletes, particularly transgender women, in competitive sports has become a controversial issue in recent years. As transgender rights and visibility have expanded, sports federations at all levels are grappling with how to craft policies that are fair, inclusive and evidence-based. Recent high-profile cases of transgender athletes excelling in women’s events have intensified the debate.

Background on Transgender Athletes

A transgender person is someone whose gender identity differs from the sex they were assigned at birth. A trans woman is someone who was assigned male at birth but identifies and lives as a woman.

Trans women who wish to compete in women’s sports categories often face restrictions because of perceived advantages conferred by going through male puberty. Here are some key points in understanding transgender athletes:

• Hormone therapy – Most trans women athletes undergo hormone replacement therapy with estrogen and testosterone blockers to alter their body composition and bring testosterone levels in line with cisgender women. However, its impact on performance advantages is debated.
• Training effects – Trans women who went through male puberty likely benefited from years of training with higher testosterone levels, the effects of which may linger after transitioning. The balance between hormonal changes and retaining physical advantages is not definitively understood.
• Individual differences – Not all trans women have the same physiology or training background, so blanket policies fail to account for differences between athletes. More individualized approaches may be needed.
• Limited data – Solid scientific evidence on transgender athletes is limited due to small sample sizes. More research is required to shape fair and inclusive policies.

Controversial Cases in Recent Years

Several prominent transgender athletes competing in women’s categories have drawn significant media attention and fueled the debate around inclusion.

Laurel Hubbard – Weightlifting

New Zealand weightlifter Laurel Hubbard competed in the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, the first ever trans woman to do so. She began transitioning in her mid 30s and met the IOC’s requirements for trans athletes – maintaining sufficiently low testosterone levels for at least 12 months. Her participation was contentious, though she did not medal.

Lia Thomas – Swimming

University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas began transitioning with hormone therapy in 2019 and went on to break records in women’s swimming. She won the 2022 NCAA Division 1 championship in the 500 yard freestyle. Her participation has been criticized by some teammates and parents.

Veronica Ivy – Cycling

Track cyclist Veronica Ivy, formerly known as Rachel McKinnon, was the first trans woman to win a world cycling title in 2019. She has faced criticism from other cyclists about potential unfair advantages. Ivy contends she’s had a negligible performance boost since transitioning.

Fallon Fox – Mixed Martial Arts

MMA fighter Fallon Fox came out publicly as trans in 2013. She had undergone transition surgery in 2006. Fox faced criticism from some fighters and fans about her physical advantages, though her professional record was 5 wins and 1 loss against naturally born women.

Policy Changes Across Sports

Sports federations are increasingly developing policies around transgender athlete participation. Here are some of the main policy developments:

Olympics

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) first allowed trans athlete participation in 2004 under certain conditions. In 2021, the IOC updated its guidelines requiring athletes to show total testosterone levels below 10 nmol/L for at least 12 months prior to competition.

NCAA Sports

In 2011, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) established guidelines for transgender participation based on hormone therapy and desired gender identity. In 2022, new guidelines shifted sports eligibility determinations to national governing bodies.

World Athletics (Track & Field)

In 2019, World Athletics (formerly IAAF) instituted restrictions requiring trans women to have testosterone levels under 5 nmol/L for 12 months before competing in women’s events from 400m to the mile.

International Swimming (FINA)

FINA recently announced a new “open” category in swimming competitions in addition to men’s and women’s events. Transgender athletes can compete in the open events without hormone level restrictions. This policy change was in response to the controversy generated by trans swimmer Lia Thomas.

Other Sports

Some sports still rely on national Olympic committee guidelines for transgender athletes. But many major international federations like FIFA (soccer), ICC (cricket) and IRB (rugby) have implemented policies based on World Athletics’ testosterone-based approach.

The Ongoing Debate

There are persuasive arguments on both sides of whether and how transgender women should be allowed to compete with cisgender women. Here are some of the key points.

Arguments For Inclusion

• Trans women are women, so should compete as women. Excluding them is discrimination.
• There is insufficient evidence that trans women have overwhelming and unfair advantages over cisgender women, especially if they undergo hormone therapy.
• Trans athletes have been able to compete in women’s categories for decades without dominating, so concerns seem overblown.
• Having universal testosterone level requirements fails to account for individual variations in physiology and training effects.

Arguments Against Inclusion

• Trans women who went through male puberty have unfair advantages in strength, endurance and muscle mass that are not fully negated by hormone therapy.
• It is unfair for women who have trained hard to have to compete against athletes who benefited from going through male puberty.
• Even if only a few transgender athletes dominate events, it discourages young cisgender women from competing and disrupts women’s sports.
• More data is needed before crafting optimal policies on trans athletes that balance inclusion with competitive fairness.

Looking Ahead

There are still more questions than definitive answers when it comes to crafting fair, evidence-based policies for transgender athletes. Some key questions looking ahead:

• Should the approach be universal policies or sport-specific rules?
• How long of hormone therapy is sufficient to provide a level playing field?
• Can advantages of male puberty ever fully be negated?
• Should there be “open” categories in sports alongside men’s and women’s events?
• How can policies balance inclusion, fairness and encouragement of all athletes?

The participation of transgender athletes like Laurel Hubbard and Lia Thomas will likely continue prompting debate and policy revisions. But sports federations are increasingly recognizing the need to craft thoughtful, nuanced policies that uphold the spirit of competition for all athletes – transgender or otherwise.