Scientists remain divided on whether trans women keep an athletic edge after transition

Researchers are still debating whether transgender women retain an athletic advantage after beginning hormone suppression and feminizing therapy, a question at the center of a Supreme Court debate. The issue is complex: individual sports depend on different physical and physiological attributes, and gender transitions occur at different times and in different ways.

Separate sports categories for women were created because adult men are, in general, faster and stronger than women, and puberty causes a surge in testosterone that boosts strength, muscle mass and endurance. Scientific studies and opinions conflict. One study found that after two years of testosterone blockers trans women were still faster than peers who were assigned female at birth, but showed no difference in the number of push-ups and sit-ups.

Other scientists said hormone suppression "probably cannot negate" the effects of testosterone in sports that rely heavily on physiological capacity, like wrestling and track and field, and concluded participation in those sports most likely did not allow sufficiently fair and safe competition.

Research on children is also mixed. The European Journal of Sport Science reported that boys 8 and under and those ages 9 to 10 ran faster on average than girls in races up to 1,500 meters, suggesting children who take puberty blockers might still have an existing athletic edge.

Key Topics

Sports, Transgender Women, Hormone Therapy, Testosterone, Puberty Blockers, Supreme Court