(Courtesy of CNN) “Transgender Athlete Lia Thomas”
Ram Sastry
Connector Contributor
Much discussion has been made of the issue of trans women in sports. On one side, people argue that allowing trans women to compete in women’s sports poses an existential danger to fairness and opportunities for cis women. These talking points have become pervasive among conservative politicians and pundits, and recent events have brought this issue to the forefront. Another side stresses inclusivity and the lack of evidence that trans women dominate women’s sports. In the wake of the 2024 presidential election and Donald Trump’s reelection win, many have wondered whether Democrats’ unwillingness to condemn trans women’s participation in women’s sports has put them at an electoral disadvantage.
Representative Tom Suozzi is quoted as saying, “The Democrats have to stop pandering to the far left,” he said. “I don’t want to discriminate against anybody, but I don’t think biological boys should be playing in girls’ sports.” He added, “Democrats aren’t saying that, and they should be.” Representative Seth Moulton of Massachusetts stated, “Democrats spend way too much time trying not to offend anyone rather than being brutally honest about the challenges many Americans face…I have two little girls, I don’t want them getting run over on a playing field by a male or formerly male athlete, but as a Democrat, I’m supposed to be afraid to say that.”
It’s worth pointing out that in no post-election polling has transgender issues ranked anywhere near the top of the minds of voters. The Harris campaign and much of the Democratic Party have steered clear of emphasizing trans issues on their platform this election cycle. One Democratic candidate for Senate in Texas, Collin Alfred, went even as far as to say in a political ad, “Let me be clear: I don’t want boys playing girls’ sports, or any of this ridiculous stuff that Ted Cruz is saying. Ted Cruz is lying about my record because he can’t defend his own.”
The American College of Sports Medicine states: “Biological sex is a determinant of athletic performance: adult males are faster, stronger, more powerful than females because of fundamental sex differences in anatomy and physiology dictated by sex chromosomes. Before puberty, sex differences in athletic performance are minimal. Significant differences emerge at puberty (-12 years) due to anabolic effects of testosterone in males. Testosterone levels rise 20-30-fold in males during puberty and are 15 times higher in males than females by age 18. Direct and indirect effects of testosterone during male puberty include increase[d] skeletal muscle mass due to larger muscle fiber cross-sectional area, especially fast, type II fibers; lower percentage body fat; higher hemoglobin concentration and mass; larger ventricular mass (heart) and cardiac volumes; larger airways and lungs; greater body height; and longer limbs. Adult males are stronger, more powerful, and faster than females of similar age and training status. The sex difference in athletic performance where endurance or muscular power is required is roughly 10-30% depending on the event.”
However, there are two things to consider. First, the scientific literature on this is far less declarative than the political discourse implies. In the Journal of Sports Medicine, a systematic review found, “There is no direct and consistent research to suggest that transgender female individuals (and transgender male individuals) have an athletic advantage in sport and, therefore, the majority of competitive sport policies are discriminatory against this population.” The Canadian Center for Ethics in Sports commissioned a review of the scientific literature regarding transgender athlete participation in sports.
In it, it states, “There is limited evidence regarding the impact of testosterone suppression (through, for example, gender-affirming hormone therapy or surgical gonad removal) on transgender women athletes’ performance. Available evidence indicates trans women who have undergone testosterone suppression have no clear biological advantages over cis women in elite sport.” A study funded by the International Olympic Committee and reported by the New York Times found transgender female athletes with higher handgrip strength but lower jumping ability, lung function, and relative cardiovascular fitness.
The other point to consider is that fears of transgender women dominating women’s sports have so far simply not come to pass. In 2021, the Associated Press reached out to two dozen lawmakers sponsoring measures banning transgender girls from competing on girls’ sports teams in public high schools, as well as conservative groups who support this measure. They found only a few cases where controversy arose from transgender girls’ participation in girls’ sports. Transgender women athletes are a minuscule population. In the NCAA, out of 500,000 athletes, fewer than 40 are known to be transgender. The IOC has allowed transgender athletes since 2003, and only in 2021 did a few start competing, with Canada’s Quinn being the first-ever trans and non-binary athlete to win a gold medal. Even NCAA swimmer Lia Thomas was far from dominant.
The fact is the issue of trans women in sports is both at the same time more complicated and simpler than is often depicted. It begs to be seen how any of this will translate into the polarizing national discourse concerning transgender women in sports.
